Information on Timneh and Congo African Grey Parrots

Last Updated on September 29, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

We consider African Grey Parrots medium large parrot species from central & west Africa.

In the wild they live on palm nuts, seeds, fruits, and leafy matter, and have even been observed eating snails.

They can be good talkers, we recommend not putting your bird in the same room with a telephone or you may be answering your bird for years.

Greys come in two sizes, Congo African Greys and Timneh African Greys. Congos have light grey feathers, cherry red tails, and an all-black beak.

Timnehs have a darker charcoal grey coloring, a darker maroonish tail, and a light, horn-colored area to part of the upper beak. They also may be referred to as CAGs & TAGs.

They like the hollows of old trees in their natural habit. In the United States, importation of wild-caught Grey parrots is prohibited under the U.S. Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992.

In the European Union, an EU Directive of 2007 prevents the importation of this and any other “wild-caught” bird for the pet trade.

Because they’re so smart they can make great pets. But remember, because they’re so darn intelligent, they really need to be engaged on a daily basis. You’ll need a good-sized birdcage and lots of interactive bird toys.

Dr. Irene Pepperberg’s extensive research with captive African greys, famously with a bird named Alex, (recently deceased) had documented the ability to converse with humans and could cognize sizes, shapes, and colors.

Their sociability and intelligence make African Grey Parrots outstanding pets with a strongly devoted following among parrot owners.

These same qualities mean that African Greys require special commitment by their owners to provide frequent one-on-one interaction, and supervised time out of their cage.

They also require large cages, a varied diet that includes fresh foods, and plenty of safe and destroyable toys.

African Greys can live 50 years or more, so a great deal of thought should be put forth before deciding to become a companion.

Acquiring an African Grey (or any parrot) is likely a lifelong commitment, and should not be done on a whim.

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