Do African Grey Parrots Have Red Tails?

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The African red tailed gray parrot is one of the most beautiful and intelligent birds on earth. It is not surprising that many breeders want to have these particular parrots. High demand and a sharp decline in the species in the wild have led to a sharp increase in the price of birds on the market. But, as experienced breeders say, they are worth it. Many of them are engaged in breeding African parrots for profit, while others simply cannot resist the beauty and intelligence of this amazing bird.

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Description And Appearance

Habitat of Red-tailed Grays

Populations of red-tailed birds can be found in West Africa, in areas where oil palm is widespread, as well as in those areas where there are fairly dense forests and far-reaching forest thickets. It is worth noting that for the red tailed gray parrot subspecies, these are countries such as Angola, Tanzania, and the Congo.

Lifestyle in freedom

Red tailed gray parrot spend most of their lives, with the exception of the mating season, in a flock of up to 200 individuals. In the morning, birds fly out of their roosting areas in search of food, covering long distances, and spend the night in the crowns of tall trees. Grays cannot be called skilled pilots, but at the same time, their flight speed is high, which makes it possible to hide from birds of prey (for example, the palm eagle).

The diet includes a variety of fruits (especially from oil palm), nuts, seeds, and green foliage. They can also eat snails and raid farmlands, where they happily eat grains (wheat and corn).

Reproduction in the wild

They become mature at 3–4 years of age. They are distinguished by monogamy—they create pairs for life. The mating season is different for each subspecies, from December to September. Before nesting begins, parrots are divided into pairs. Each pair occupies a separate tree with a deep hollow, in which the female lays up to five eggs. The incubation period is 1 month. On the shoulders of the new mother is the care of the newborn offspring, and on the shoulders of the father is ensuring security and obtaining food. Strong chicks begin to fly out of the nest when they are closer to 3 months old but remain under the care of their parents for up to a year.

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The mating dance of the “newlyweds” is very interesting. The “in love” male ruffles his feathers, lowers his wings, and then begins to spin around the “lady” (“dances” the female), making a whining sound. After approval, the female responds in the same voice and sits down. The male begins to imitate feeding. After this, mating occurs. There can be several such dances per day, and they last up to 10–15 minutes.

Lifespan

The officially recorded age at which the red tailed gray parrot lived is 49 years and 7 months. But ornithologists believe that some representatives live up to 70 years.

Conservation status

The red tailed gray parrot used to be one of the most numerous species. But as a result of the absence and insufficiency of measures to regulate trade, there was a sharp reduction in their numbers (from 50 to 90% of each subspecies).

Gray jacots have been classified as a critically endangered species and are included in Appendix II of CITES, which tightens control over the capture and sale of birds.

Red-Tailed Gray Parrot As Pets

This red tailed gray parrot beauties have long been used for domestication. Their soft, pliable character and graceful appearance only contributed to this. But raising birds at home is quite labor-intensive. Only by following all the care recommendations can you be sure that the parrot will be healthy and live a long time in captivity.

Ornithologists advise:

• Provide the birds with up to 15 hours of daylight (in winter, with the help of artificial lighting).
• Buy your pet a quality cage or enclosure.
• In the summer, take the cage with the parrot out into the open air under direct sunlight (this has a positive effect on the health of the bird).
• Place the bird\’s home in a warm, dry room without drafts, sudden temperature changes, or loud noise.
• Maintain the temperature in the range of +20–+25 °C and the humidity at 40–60%.
• Set up a bath for your pet for daily water treatments, a size slightly larger than the bird (which can be sprayed with a spray bottle).
• Monitor your parrot\’s diet.

Parrot intelligence and behavior

The mental abilities of the bird are comparable to those of a 5-year-old child, and its temperament corresponds to that of a 2-year-old child. Calm and friendly birds enjoy spending time with their owner; they perform various tricks and learn to speak (they can reproduce about 1,500 words and understand their meaning). To prevent the parrot from becoming bored and, as a result, starting to pluck itself, it needs to be given maximum attention, and you should constantly spend your leisure time with it.

According to research, Jacos are able to identify a person’s words (they understand what is being said), his mood, and the concepts of shape, number, and color

How to keep

Cage requirements:

• The recommended dimensions of the bird\’s house are from 0.6 m x 0.6 m x 0.8 m.
• Metal frame and rods up to 1 cm thick (wooden elements should be absent since the bird can damage them with its strong beak).
• Has a two-turn lock.
• A retractable tray that will facilitate the process of daily cleaning.
• The cage should have feeders, drinkers, perches, branches, toys (including “forage” toys with treats), a bathtub for bathing, and a mineral stone for grinding down the beak.

Prohibited products:

Fermented milk products (except cottage cheese).

– Coffee

Tea.

– Cocoa.

– Chocolate.

– Candies.

Avocado, cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes, and mushrooms.

—rhubarb, garlic, onion, and celery.

bread and pastries.

Salt, sugar.

Fish, meat.

Breeding

6 Month Old

The presence of a formed couple aged 3-5 years.

Aviary for a pair of birds measuring from 1.5 m x 1.5 m x 1.6 m.

The dimensions of the nest are 0.3×0.3×0.5 m with a tray diameter of 0.10-0.12 m.

Minimal contact of the owner with birds during the mating season and the period of hatching offspring.

2 Months:

From 3 months old, parrots begin to gradually fly out of the nest and learn the skills of adult life. At the age of 4 months, the grown and strengthened offspring are removed from their parents.

10 Days

After the couple has become interested in the nest and examined it, the mating season begins. It can last up to a month. During this time, the female lays up to 5 eggs, which she incubates for 30 days. At this time, the male brings her food and guards the nest. The hatched babies are naked and blind. The eyes open by the 14th day of life, and the birds are fully feathered by 2.5 months.

Tips before purchasing and cost of Red-tailed Grays

In the West, grays are bred in large numbers in captivity, so there is little excitement about them. In Russia, there are very few nurseries that deal with red tailed gray parrot, so the price and demand for them are higher than in the West. Red-tailed beauties are sold by resellers for 500–1000 US dollars, and in private nurseries and stores, the price reaches 4-6 thousand, depending on the age and skills of the bird.

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Given the high cost, you need to evaluate your capabilities before purchasing. Without the necessary knowledge about the basics of keeping birds and without an understanding of the basics of their lives, the money spent will not benefit the breeder. And the bird may even suffer due to human inexperience.

The best places to buy, where a pet can be purchased with all the documents, are official nurseries and pet stores. The optimal age for purchase is 3–4 months. The parrot must meet all the indicators of the standard and be healthy.

Criteria for a healthy Jaco:

• activity;
• dense stool;
• bright plumage with a shimmer, well laid out;
• no discharge from the nostrils or eyes;
• average fatness.

You should avoid purchasing birds from resellers for several reasons:

• They do not have documents confirming the origin, age, and health of the animal.
• They can sell a cheaper brown-tailed species at the price of a red-tailed one, deceiving that the plumage has not yet fully formed.
• Present a sick bird with self-plucking as one that is going through a molt.

Considering the above information, the red tailed gray parrot is an expensive and labor-intensive bird to keep. But given the opportunity and desire, a bird can be a devoted pet, which will not only decorate a person’s life but also delight him with its friendly character and intellectual abilities.

Also check: Is It Necessary To Let A Parrot Out Of Its Cage To Fly?

Also check: Noble Eclectus Parrot

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