As you can see by the videos, African Greys are not only very gregarious, but they are also parrots that flock in large numbers of only their own kind. They tend to come down to the ground in waves, while some birds stay up in the trees and serve as lookouts. They fly in unison almost like they are a single entity, unlike some other parrots that may come together just to feed and fly off as a pair or family unit. In order for animals to be synchronized like this, they must be very in tune to one another and able to pick up on the slightest of cues and be able to react to them quickly, be it for taking off as a flock when a danger is perceived or changing course while on the wing. This may lend itself to th African Grey's reputation as being a more nervous bird. I don't really see my Greys are being nervous at all, but they are very aware and tend to react fast, which may give some people the impression of nervousness or turn into nervousness quickly if the bird does not feel like it's environment is secure. People living with African Greys have said that they are often surprised by how their birds seem to "read their minds" in certain situations. While I agree that Greys are amazing birds, I don't think of them as having "psychic abilities", but rather they are just very observant and in tune to their flock and they may tend to pick up on very slight cues from us and react to these cues appropriately.
African Greys are also a species of parrot that produces powder down, a special type of feather that continously grows and disintegrates to supply the bird with a fine, waxy powder that it speads over it's feathers while preening. These feathers are located on the bird's flanks (on the body under the wing). African Greys also have a uropygial (oil) gland, which is relatively large compared to other parrot species. This gland is located on the bird's back, just above the base of the tail. The oil and powder are used to help waterproof and protect the feathers as well as keep them clean.
Here is a picture of the powder down feathers. Though Cash was cooperative, his feathers were not, and I had trouble keeping the contour feathers back in order to see the powder down. If you look in the circled area, between the larger feathers, you will see a couple or shorter feathers with a thicker base: these are the powder down feathers.
The dust produced by these parrots can be irritating to some people, either physically (itchy eyes, allergies, trouble breathing, etc) or psychologically (cleaning it up or seeing it on stuff bothers them, etc), and must really be taken into consideration before deciding to live with one of these birds. A good HEPA filter is a must when living with a Grey, as much for your respiratory health as for the health of the Grey and other birds in the home. Even then, you will probably never catch all the dust. Macaws are known for sometimes developing pulmonary hypersensitivity (sort of like asthma) because of this dust. Great care should be taken when deciding to add a dusty bird to a home with Macaws or other South American species where either the species or the individual bird may be predisposed towards respiratory troubles.
Like all birds and Parrots, African Greys have sensitive respiratory systems and certain common household items that seem benign to us can make them very sick or even kill them. PTFE (aka Teflon) produces fumes when heated that is deadly for birds. Teflon coating can be found on pots, frying pans, grills, cookie sheets, muffin tins, hair dryers, space heaters, furniture ScotchGuard, and microwaves, to name a few things. Other dangers include cleaning products; things like Febreze and other deodorisers and perfumes; hairsprays and dyes; candles (both scented and unscented); smoking; paint, varnishes and polishes; the fumes that come off from new furniture, both upholstered and glued (melamine, etc); new carpeting; anything aerosol that wasen't already mentioned; using your oven's self-cleaning feature, etc. If in doubt, better to be safe then sorry, don't take a chance. If it smells strong it is to be considered dangerous, but just because the fumes may be odorless to us, doesn't mean there is no danger. Think of your Grey like a Canary in a coal mine, just because some household items do not make you get sick or drop dead, doesn't mean they will not be doing you any long-term harm. I often wonder how good all these Febreze and plug-in things are for people in the long run. It may seem like a pain to have to change so many household habits, but as far as I'm concerned, I like not having all sorts of chemicals around the house anyways.
I tried to get a picture of the uropygial gland, but it has proved impossible for me to hold a bird and a camera while trying to exposed the gland from under the surrounding feathers. So, it will have to wait until I can catch a shot. It is kind of like a wick that secretes oil that the bird rubs over it's feathers. This gland also produces precursers to vitamin D which are present in the oil and are activated when the bird is exposed to ultraviolet light, such as unfiltered sunlight. Like with us, vitamin D is needed for the absorbtion of calcium. There are full-spectrum bird lights on the market said to replicate the UV from the sun, but whenever possible nothing beats good old natural sunshine. Never leave a bird in the sun or heat unattended or unable to seek shade if he desires, remember we can also benefit from the suns rays even in the shade.
African Greys, like all parrots, require a nutritious and varied diet in order to stay healthy. We now have formulated diets (pellets) on the market to help us provide more adequate nutrition, but not all brands are created equal. There are many different opinions regarding the feeding of pellets (which brands to feed, in what % of the diet, colored or not) and if it is even necessary or good to feed them at all. I think most can agree that pellets should not be fed as the birds sole diet (as opposed to what some manufacturers suggest). Foods to avoid completely would include avocados; caffeine; chocolate; raw patatoes, onions and yams; raw mean; very fatty, sugary or salty food; alcohol; food that may be spoiled or moldy (if in doubt, throw it out). Sprouts and fresh foods (especially cooked) spoil fast and should not be left in the cage for more then an hour or two. Many of these things are common sense, but if you are unsure of a food item, research it first or call your vet. It is best to feed organic when possible, all the time if you can. If you can't, here is a list of the foods that are most contaminated with pesticides and fungicides, and at the very least these foods should be avoided when organic is not available.
As far as I am concerned, I think the best way to go is a naturel and fresh diet. I feed a sprout mix almost daily (unless I miss a beat and don't have enough), along with fresh vegetables (dark green veggies and leafy greens like kale, dandelion, chard, broccoli; bright orange veggies like sweet potato, squash and carrots; etc), some cooked graines (like quinoa) and some nuts, fruit and seeds in moderation. My birds also get some pellets almost daily, but I see them more like adding a multivitamin to round off the diet, rather then a primary food source. My brands of choice are Totally Organic Pellets and Harrison's. I like to order my sprouts from Mumm's, not only do they offer free shipping to Canadians with a small order (free shipping is available to the USA too, but the minimum order is a little higher), but they also have a great variety and their products have always sprouted beautifully for me.
Living with an African Grey (or Greys!) can be a very rewarding experience, but it also requires a lot of work, time, patience and sacrifice to care for these animals. Not to mention a sense of humor helps a lot, sometimes it's better to laugh about something then slowly go nuts!
Our pet Greys are only a few generations removed from the wild at most, they were not born to live in a cage in a home, nor to be away from their own kind. We force this upon them and we have to understand that it takes a lot of work to keep these intelligent birds stimulated and help them feel happy and secure in this artificial world.
There are many, many, many other things to consider when thinking of adding a Grey to your home or any other parrot. This post is just sort of an intro to the species. There are many ressources available to you to help you learn about dangers, proper care, housing, foraging, enrichement, feeding, safety and to help you decide if a Grey Parrot may be right for your family. Maybe I will add more about these subjects and what I have learned when I have a chance to do so. You can check some links on the top right of this Blog, I should be adding more and more periodically.
Thanks for reading and take care.
:)