Grey parrot

The grey parrot is a clever African bird with striking ash-colored feathers. It lives in the forests of central Africa and is famous for its ability to mimic human speech and sounds. These parrots were once all called African greys until scientists decided their smaller cousins, the Timneh parrots, deserved their own name.

• Its scientific name, Psittacus erithacus, comes from Greek and Latin words meaning 'parrot' and 'red-tailed'.
• These parrots belong to the Psittacidae family, which includes all true parrots.
• They were originally considered one species with Timneh parrots before being split into two.