African grey parrot  (Psittacus erithacus)

Famous for its intelligence and ability to mimic human speech, the African grey parrot is one of the most popular of all avian pets (2). One of the largest parrots in Africa (5), the plumage is pale grey, with whitish edges to the feathers on the head and neck, which give a lacy or ‘scalloped' appearance. The flight feathers are darker grey, the rump pale and the short tail a striking red. The beak is black, and on the face a large area of bare white skin surrounds the pale yellow eye (3) (6) (7). Both males and females are similar in appearance, while juveniles can be recognised by a dark grey or black eye, grey-tinged undertail-coverts and a darker red tip to the tail (6) (7).

Two subspecies are currently recognised: Psittacus erithacus erithacus, sometimes known as the red-tailed African grey parrot or the Congo African grey parrot, and Psittacus erithacus timneh, also known as the Timneh African grey parrot (2) (8) (9). P. e. timneh is smaller, with darker plumage, a dark maroon rather than red tail, red on the upper part of the beak and a distinctive call (2) (6) (7). There is thought to be very little interbreeding between the two subspecies, and some would prefer to have them classed as separate species (3) (10). A separate population of African grey parrots on the island of Príncipe in the Gulf of Guinea was previously considered a third subspecies, Psittacus erithacus princeps, but is now included with P. e. erithacus (4) (11).