Written by the Birdsville team. Last updated October 2026.

African Grey Parrots are famous for their incredible talking ability and intelligence, and they’re one of the most rewarding parrots you can own. They’re also one of the most demanding. This African Grey Parrot care guide from Birdsville, 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, covers diet, cages, toys, health, training and what to expect, based on our own experience keeping, breeding and selling African Greys.

African Grey playing on Swing
Hand Raised African Grey

African Grey Parrot Quick Facts

  • Scientific name: Psittacus erithacus
  • Other names: Grey Parrot, Congo African Grey
  • Native range: the rainforests, wooded savannah, mangroves and farmland of west and central Africa, from the Ivory Coast and Angola east to Kenya and Tanzania
  • Adult size: about 33cm long
  • Adult weight: about 400 to 600g
  • Lifespan: 40 to 60 years with good care
  • Talking ability: excellent, often hundreds of words, though not every bird talks
  • Starts talking: usually from about 9 months, sometimes as early as 4 months
  • Sexing: males and females look alike, so DNA sexing is needed
  • Conservation status: Endangered in the wild and listed on CITES Appendix I
  • Experience level: experienced owners only

On This Page

  • Pros and Cons of African Grey Parrots
  • Availability at Birdsville
  • What Size Cage Does an African Grey Need?
  • Toys and Behavioural Enrichment
  • What Do African Grey Parrots Eat?
  • Calcium, Vitamin D and Supplements
  • Worming
  • Lice and Mites
  • Common Health Problems
  • Training Your African Grey
  • Introducing an African Grey to Other Birds
  • Sexing African Greys
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Recommended Avian Vets

Pros and Cons of African Grey Parrots

The Pros

African Greys can remember and mimic hundreds of words, and their clarity can be astonishing. One African Grey we had in store not only spoke beautifully, but also mimicked the local birds from where it grew up in the Blue Mountains, such as currawongs and bellbirds, with perfect clarity. Like most parrots, they usually don’t start talking until at least 9 months of age, although I’ve seen some talking as early as 4 months.

They’re also highly intelligent, curious birds that bond closely with their owners and can learn tricks, games and routines.

The Cons

I’ve owned and seen some absolutely fantastic African Greys, and some that were not. Not every grey is a good talker. I’ve had one that wouldn’t talk at all, and sold some that only ever said a few words. By comparison, I’ve never come across an Amazon parrot that doesn’t talk.

I don’t recommend African Greys for families with young children. Once they’re past about 12 months old, they can become quite aggressive, especially males. They’re also sensitive birds that can become stressed by change, and they’re prone to feather plucking if they’re bored, poorly fed or unsettled. With a lifespan of 40 to 60 years, an African Grey can easily outlive its owner, so plan for its future.

Availability of African Greys at Birdsville

African Greys aren’t common, but we have them available from time to time throughout the year. If you’re interested in owning one, call us on (02) 9669 1766 or visit us in-store for a chat. Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BirdsvilleRosebery/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/petsvillesydney/) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@birdsvillepets) to see new arrivals.

What Size Cage Does an African Grey Need?

African Greys are large parrots and need a large, strong cage, with room for plenty of toys, perches, and food and water dishes, plus enough space to move around and fully spread their wings. As a guide, choose a cage of at least 90cm wide, 60cm deep and 120cm high, and go bigger wherever you can. A roomy cage helps prevent boredom.

Don’t be afraid to take your grey out of the cage and simply spend time with it. African Greys need plenty of time out of the cage every day, and they’ll be much happier for it. A play stand or play area gives them a change of scenery, and a stand that moves from room to room lets your bird stay with the family.

Any play area must be bird-proofed. African Greys will go after power cords, chew wooden furniture and destroy anything within reach.

Cages, play stands, perches and everything else your African Grey needs, and plenty more, are available in-store at Birdsville.

Toys and Behavioural Enrichment

As a former zoo keeper, I learned that every animal needs a variety of environmental enrichment to stay healthy and happy, and a pet parrot is no different. Parrots simply can’t thrive with only perches, food and water. Birds given plenty of enrichment are far less likely to develop problems such as self mutilation, feather plucking and excessive screaming. Enrichment also makes training easier, and you’ll end up with a friendlier, more relaxed and less fearful bird.

Choose toys that make your grey think, toys it can chew and destroy, and some strong, durable toys that will last. Good enrichment includes:

You can also collect enrichment from your garden, such as pine cones with food hidden inside, twigs, bendy branches and safe flowers. Bottlebrush, grevillea, eucalyptus and melaleuca flowers, hibiscus, marigolds, dandelions (leaves and all), roses and violets are all safe. Anything collected outside must be from an unsprayed source, washed and disinfected, and every toy must be non-toxic.

Rotate toys regularly. Your grey will get bored with the same toys day after day, and swapping them over makes it feel like it’s getting a brand new toy every time.

48 days old African Grey Chick

What Do African Grey Parrots Eat?

In the wild, African Greys eat mainly fruit and seeds, especially oil palm fruit. At home, they do best on a mix of pellets, quality seed and fresh food. As a general guide, aim for about half pellets, a quarter seed and a quarter fresh fruit and vegetables. African Greys are savannah and forest birds, and seed is a natural part of their diet, so they should never be taken off seed completely.

Two Ways to Feed an African Grey

Option 1: a quality seed mix with one of our Birdsville Blends mixed through it, plus pellets in a separate bowl.

Option 2: pellets as the main food, with our Birdsville Blend Seed Enhancer (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blend-mixed-veg-seed-enhancer) added for variety and extra nutrition.

The Best Birdsville Blends for African Greys

Every Birdsville Blend is mixed and bagged fresh on site, packed with chillies, pumpkin, legumes, dried fruits, dried vegetables and herbs. They give your grey the variety it would forage for in the wild, plus the vitamin A that so many seed-fed parrots lack. Our seed sells fast and never sits on the shelf, unlike chain store mixes bulked out with cheap filler seed.

Pellets

Good pellet choices for African Greys include Vetafarm Parrot Maintenance Pellets (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-parrot-maintenance-pellets-350g), Harrison’s Adult Lifetime Coarse (https://petsville.com.au/products/harrisons-adult-lt-formula-coarse-454gm) and, for nervous or plucking birds, Vetafarm Parrot B-Calm Pellets (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-parrot-b-calm-pellets-350g). B-Calm contains added L-tryptophan, which may help an anxious grey settle without sedating it.

Fruit and Vegetables

Offer fresh vegetables daily, such as broccoli, carrot, sweet potato, capsicum, corn, beans, peas and leafy greens, with fruit like apple, pear, orange, berries and pomegranate a few times a week. Remove uneaten fresh food the same day.

Foods to Avoid

Chocolate, avocado, onion, garlic, alcohol, coffee and tea, apple pips, stone fruit pits, and anything salty, fatty or sugary from your own plate.

Calcium, Vitamin D and Supplements

African Greys are well known for being prone to low calcium, which can cause weakness, wobbliness, seizures and egg problems in hens. They need extra calcium and vitamin D, especially if they’re kept indoors, as window glass blocks the UV light birds need to make vitamin D.

Worming

Worm your new African Grey a few weeks to two months after you take it home, and check the timing with our team when you buy your bird. After that, worm every 6 months to keep your bird healthy. Vetafarm Wormout Gel (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-wormout-gel-50ml) is a suitable bird wormer. A probiotic such as Vetafarm Synbiotic (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-synbiotic-100g) helps rebuild good gut bacteria after worming.

Lice and Mites

Lice and mites are the two most common parasites that affect African Greys and their surroundings, but they’re easy to control with a mite and lice spray (https://petsville.com.au/products/fidos-avitrol-bird-mite-and-lice-spray-125ml). Remove all food and water first, then spray the bird lightly, avoiding its eyes, and spray the entire cage, perches and toys.

Common Health Problems in African Greys

Feather Plucking

African Greys are one of the species most prone to feather plucking, usually from boredom, poor diet, stress or a break in routine. See our guide on how to stop feather plucking in parrots (https://birdsville.net.au/pet-bird-advice-and-training/feather-plucking/).

Low Calcium

Low blood calcium is common in greys and can cause wobbliness, falling off perches or seizures. A good diet with calcium and vitamin D supplements helps prevent it. A bird showing these signs needs a vet straight away.

Breathing Problems

Fungal infections such as aspergillosis can affect African Greys, often linked to poor diet, damp conditions, mouldy food or dusty, poorly ventilated rooms. Watch for laboured breathing, tail bobbing, a change in voice or discharge from the nostrils.

Beak and Feather Disease

Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease can affect African Greys, causing abnormal feathers and beak growth. Buy from a healthy, well-run source and quarantine any new bird.

For more on spotting illness early, see our Common Bird Illnesses guide (https://birdsville.net.au/common-bird-illnesses/).

Training Your African Grey

Training is a big part of having a well-behaved hand-raised bird. When you bring your grey home, handle it in a quiet, relaxed setting, but don’t overdo it in the first few weeks while it settles in. The more time you spend with your African Grey, the better companion it becomes. Reward calm, gentle behaviour with treats and attention, and never punish your bird.

For more, see our bird training guide (https://birdsville.net.au/pet-bird-advice-and-training/bird-training-clicker-training-parrot-body-language/), our guide to parrot biting (https://birdsville.net.au/parrot-biting/) and our guide to stopping parrot screaming (https://birdsville.net.au/screaming-and-squawking-parrots-how-to-stop/).

Introducing an African Grey to Other Birds

When you bring your grey home, keep it in its own cage, in a separate room if possible, and let it settle. Allow at least 4 weeks before introducing it to your other birds, so you can watch for signs of illness. I’ve kept African Greys with Eclectus parrots and they got along well, but every bird is different, so take care when mixing birds. Our guide to introducing new birds (https://birdsville.net.au/pet-bird-advice-and-training/new-avian-introductions-mixing-species/) explains how to quarantine and soft release safely.

Sexing African Greys

Male and female African Greys look almost identical, so the only reliable way to tell them apart is DNA sexing from a feather or blood sample. DNA Solutions (https://www.dnasolutions.com.au/) offers fast, accurate bird DNA sexing in Australia.

African Grey Parrot
African Grey Parrot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

African Grey Parrot: Frequently Asked Questions

Are African Grey Parrots good pets?

African Greys can be wonderful pets for experienced owners who have plenty of time to spend with them. They’re intelligent, affectionate and often brilliant talkers. They’re also demanding, sensitive birds that need daily attention, lots of enrichment and a good diet, and they can become aggressive once mature, so they’re not ideal for young families.

How long do African Grey Parrots live?

African Greys commonly live 40 to 60 years with good care, so they’re a lifelong commitment. Many will outlive their owners, so it’s worth planning for your bird’s future. A good diet with pellets, quality seed and calcium, regular worming, plenty of enrichment and yearly avian vet checks all help your grey live a long, healthy life.

When do African Grey Parrots start talking?

Most African Greys start talking from about 9 months of age, although some begin as early as 4 months. Not every grey becomes a strong talker. Some learn hundreds of words and sounds, while others only ever say a few words. Talking to your bird often, and rewarding it when it copies you, helps.

What do African Grey Parrots eat?

Feed about half pellets, a quarter quality seed and a quarter fresh fruit and vegetables. Birdsville Blends Parrot is our top pick for greys, and Tropical Large Parrot, or Healthy Parrot mixed with budgie mix, also work well. Greys are prone to low calcium, so add Calcivet to the water and give indoor birds extra vitamin D.

Are African Greys good with children?

We don’t recommend African Greys for families with young children. Once they’re past about 12 months old, many greys, especially males, can become quite aggressive, and a bite from a large parrot can be serious. They also need a calm home. Families with older children and experienced owners usually do much better with them.

Why is my African Grey plucking its feathers?

African Greys are one of the species most prone to plucking. Common causes include boredom, too few toys, a poor diet, low calcium, poor sleep, stress and a break in routine. Work through diet, enrichment and routine first, and see an avian vet to rule out illness. Our feather plucking guide covers this in detail.

Recommended Avian Vets

  • SASH (Small Animal Specialist Hospital), 24/7 emergency, 5/476 Gardeners Rd, Alexandria NSW 2015, 02 8913 4000, sashvets.com
  • The Wild Vet, 22A Bridge Road, Glebe, 1300 945 3838, thewildvet.com.au
  • SERV, 57-63 Herbert St, Artarmon, 02 9436 4884, exoticsvet.com.au
  • Southern Cross Veterinary Clinic, 60 Princes Hwy, St Peters, 02 9516 0234, southerncrossvet.com.au
  • Carlingford Animal Hospital, 772 Pennant Hills Road, Carlingford, 02 9871 6036, birdhealth.com.au
  • The Unusual Pet Vets, 995 Bourke Street, Waterloo NSW 2017, 02 9319 6111, unusualpetvets.com.au
  • Vetafarm, vetafarm.com.au

Visit Us

We’re a small business that does things in a big way, and we only stock the best for our birds and yours. Visit Birdsville at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, on the corner of Gardeners Road, servicing the Eastern Suburbs and Inner South Sydney, or call (02) 9669 1766. Shop Birdsville Blends, pellets, vitamins and toys online at Petsville (https://petsville.com.au) with delivery Australia-wide, and follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BirdsvilleRosebery/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/petsvillesydney/) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@birdsvillepets) for live updates.

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