How long do gray parrots live?

The dense forests of West Africa are home to one of the most attractive species of parrots to humans - the gray or gray parrot. Medium-sized birds with ash-gray plumage and a bright red smooth tail, have a body up to 35 cm long and a wingspan of about 65 cm. Gathering in small flocks, they inhabit tall mangrove trees, on which they nest and spend the night. Grays feed on the fruits of the oil palm, fruits, herbs, and can also eat a snail. Gathering in large flocks, parrots damage agricultural plantations, for which they are caught for sale and meat.

Under favorable conditions, gray parrots live for quite a long time. The fact of life of a Gray up to 49 years and 7 months when kept at home has been documented. Some unconfirmed sources report that there is a gray parrot that has lived for over 92 years.

The age of birds in their natural environment is unlikely to reach such high numbers due to many different factors. Most often, in the wild, a bird will not live even ten years, the reason for which is natural selection and human activity.

In native African forests, the lifespan of the gray parrot is influenced by:

• availability and variety of food;
• the ability to find a safe place to nest and rest;
• predators that can get to birds;
• the man who chops down palms, whose fruits are the basis of the diet of the Grays, and wipes out the population of parrots because of their delicious meat, the demand for poultry for home keeping, and the damage they cause to agricultural land.

The first three factors are a consequence of natural selection in nature and their effect on the life span of birds in the natural environment is maximal. The more harvest years and fewer predators, the longer the life path of birds. But human actions also have a strong impact on the environment and the number of individuals in the population, which leads to the massive death of birds, regardless of their age.

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Another reason for the early death of a gray parrot bought from hands or caught may be its considerable age. The juvenile has irises around the eyes, ranging from very dark at about five months of age to grayish white by the year. After the chick turns more than one and a half years old, the color of the eyes changes to light yellow and remains so until the end of its life. Therefore, it is almost impossible to determine the age of an adult parrot from the wild.

It is another matter if the bird is raised in a nursery, where it is in contact with humans from the first days, and is being monitored. Accustomed to the cage and people, a gray with proper care can live for more than 30 years. This requires:

• good nutrition;
• good conditions of detention;
• sufficient attention from the owner;
• compulsory medical supervision by a specialist;
• compliance with the rules for care.

Grays are prized by amateurs for their intelligence and onomatopoeia. The bird can remember and reproduce up to one and a half thousand words, while she associates the spoken word with a certain object or concept. Having chosen a pet in the family, the parrot repeats his behavior, tries to follow him everywhere and requires increased attention to himself, showing jealousy towards other animals and family members.

When purchasing a pet, first of all, you need to equip a place of residence for it. Since the gray is rather large for birds kept at home, and is mobile, then a cage or aviary he needs spacious, made of steel rods and securely closed so that a smart bird cannot open the door on its own. It is necessary to put and fix a drinking bowl and several bowls for food and mineral supplements in the cage. Various perches, ladders, mirrors and other accessories are also needed.

To make the bird feel good she needs to be able to fly around the apartment every day and communicate closely with the owner: sit next to him or on him, take care of a loved one or other creature. If the gray is deprived of such an opportunity, then the bird will have mental problems.

You can feed your pet with special mixtures for parrots, which are sold in pet stores. In addition, the diet should include fresh herbs, nuts, fruits and berries. For the health of the bird, it is important to avoid a sharp change in diet, therefore, for the first time after purchase, the parrot should be fed with the same food that he received from the seller, gradually changing his dietary habits. Grain and other products must be fresh and of good quality. Also, the pet needs to constantly change the water, preventing it from stagnating and accumulating dirt.

In nature, the parrot eats only fresh fruits, so it gets enough vitamins and minerals. When kept in a cage, the bird needs to be introduced into the diet special additives for obtaining the necessary substances. The veterinarian should determine what vitamins are necessary and in what quantity they can be given to a parrot, because hypervitaminosis is no less harmful than hypovitaminosis.

If there are no health problems, then a preventive examination once a year is enough. In the event of symptoms of the disease, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.

Due to the fact that in their natural environment, Grays live in flocks, constant communication is vital for them. From a lack of attention, the gray parrot begins to hurt and can completely pluck its plumage, which is an indicator of a stressful state.

In addition, it is important for the bird to ensure safety.

• Close the vents and street doors so that the gray cannot fly out into the street.
• Remove from the access area all lightweight plastic items that the bird could split and injure.
• Close or hide the electrical wires in inaccessible places to protect the pet from the possibility of electric shock.
• Remove poisonous substances and medicines to a safe place, since gray parrots are quite curious and can swallow what is not supposed to.
• Too low room temperature can lead to illness and death of the pet.
• Dogs and cats can also be dangerous to a parrot, so it's important to keep a close eye on their relationships. In case of a negative reaction from domestic predators, it is worth limiting their access to the bird.

For the features of the parrot, see below.