African Grey parrot?

[Kristy_07]

there beatiful if they decide they like you not so much if they dont

This is all things with a beak isn't it? All the parrots I've owned and fostered, from conures to cockatoos, seem to have suffered some kind of bipolar!

 

[guzzo]

I saw a documentary years ago with an African Grey…..It was very intelligent ….even when its owner pointed to a block and asked it what colour? it would respond with the correct colour. Was quite amazing. Did not have many feathers though.

Has anyone else seen it?

 

[Kristy_07]

I haven't seen that doco - but I did seen another that blew me away. This AG parrot was the focus of a lady's study of about 8 years or something, and new heaps and heaps of words. It could name colours, objects, shapes, and solve fairly simple puzzles (of about 2-3 child standard).

But the two things that absolutely astounded me where that,

1) the parrot had a favourite tree near a window in the lab that it loved to sit in. When it got bored of doing test, the parrot would say "Want to go home" (home being the tree)... And if the scientists asked it to keep going with the tests, the parrot would say (ask even?) "Soon - home soon"

2) The parrot loved to eat apple - one of his favourite foods. When asked to name different kinds of fruit in a bowl, the parrot would call it an "apple". However, when the parrot wanted a piece of apple as a treat, he would say "Want Ban-erry". Ban-erry?? When an observer asked the scientist why he called the apple a ban-erry, the scientist said that, to birds, apples taste quite a lot like bananas, and they look like a big cherry, so the bird had taken to calling his favourite fruit a "ban-erry".

:shock: OMG!! I couldn't believe it - it is one thing to say these birds are smart because they are one of the best mimicers in the birds world, but it is quiet another to see a BIRD be able to learn the English language, and then be able to use that work to convey feelings (like wanting to go "home soon") and to combine words to describe something that reminds him of two other objects! That is not just mimicry - it's intelligence. I was and am completely in awe.

 

[coastalboy]

african greys about 5000 - 6000 auzzie dollars in auzzie ecelectus 600-800 males usually dearer for some reason. and the big and bold blue and gold macaw are same as greys 5000 - 6000 id rather a b&g befor grey. as they can live to 90years old.!!!!! and talk incredable amazing.

cheers
nick

 

[christiano]

Hello

Hello are you still interested in buying the african grey please so then contact me viaemail [email protected] for more information and pics
thanks

 

[Geared]

Guzzo and Kristy, you're probably referring to 'Alex' the African grey studied by Dr Irene Pepperberg. There's a few doco's around on him and a book too! Really interesting stuff!

 

[giglamesh]

Hello are you still interested in buying the african grey please so then contact me viaemail [email protected] for more information and pics
thanks

bit suspicious... uk? but i think it will be to much of a responsibility for me at the moment