Grey parrot

Description

The colour of the plumage is grey, except for the tail which has a distinctive red colour. The face has a light grey or whitish mask. The iris of adults is a light yellow colour, and is brown in young birds. The hooked beak is black is extremely powerful.

Ethology

It is a sociable and gregarious bird, which forms flocks of dozens of members. They form nests in tree cavities 10-30 metres high. A nest typically consists of 2 to 34 eggs which are incubated only by the female, while the male provides food. Once the chicks emerge from their shells, both parents care for them.

Interesting facts

They are one of the most popular birds kept as a pet in Europe, the United States and the Middle East due to their longevity and unparalleled capacity for imitating human language and other sounds. This has led populations in nature to have been reduced by 50 to 80% in the last 50 years, due to the pet trade. Thus, in 2018, they became an endangered species.