African grey parrots are not just good at copying sounds — they actually understand what words mean. A famous African grey named Alex worked with scientist Dr Irene Pepperberg for 30 years and learned to identify more than 50 objects by name, count up to six, and ask for what he wanted. He even invented new phrases by combining words he already knew.
In the wild, African greys live in large, noisy flocks in the forest. They are very sociable birds and spend a lot of time calling to each other, playing together and grooming each other's feathers. They eat seeds, nuts, berries and fruit, and they have a strong, curved beak strong enough to crack open very hard shells.
African greys have been known to mimic not just words but all kinds of sounds — phones ringing, doors creaking, other birds singing, even the sound of running water. In the rainforest, their natural calls are much more musical: a series of whistles, clicks and warbles that carry through the dense trees.
These parrots can live for up to 60 years, which means an African grey might outlive its owner. They form very strong bonds with those around them — in the wild with their flock, and in captivity with their human family. Their intelligence and sociability make them remarkable creatures to learn about.