Читать книгу Birds For Dummies - Gina Spadafori - Страница 54

Introducing the undisputed Einsteins of the parrot world! African greys — both the more common Congo and the smaller Timneh — are marvelous talkers who have demonstrated that they actually understand what they’re saying.

Grey parrots need attentive owners. They need to be kept engaged and challenged. Without a good relationship with a human caretaker, the birds can become fearful, sullen, or even aggressive. Boredom and a lack of variety and intellectual stimulation make for a miserable life for these clever pets. Compared to Amazon parrots, grey parrots generally have less volume, typically vocalizing more beeps, whistles, and other sounds much more than many other species. Regardless, even those sounds may not necessarily be suited for close-quartered living or easily annoyed neighbors.

Most African greys kept as companions are of the larger species (Psittacus erithacus), with a tail that is more vividly colored than that of the Timneh (Psittacus timneh). In terms of personality, though, there’s little overall difference. The secret’s out: Timneh greys are pretty cool, too! Expect to pay $800 to $3,600 for either species of these clever birds.