African Gray Parrot – Einstein talking about a storm

African gray parrots are not the most colorful parrots in the world, as their name implies. Whether your African gray is of the Congo or Timneh subspecies, the bird will have an efficient gray color. The Congo African Gray will have a bright cherry red tail, while the Timneh African Gray’s tail will be maroon.

African gray parrots are very intelligent. It has been said that they have an intellect similar to that of dolphins and chimpanzees. African gray parrots have the ability to imitate up to 2,000 different sounds. They can understand the use of many words that they learn and are known to be the best talking parrots.

Einstein, a talking African grey, is living proof of this. Einstein has been doing a lot of talking at a zoo in Knoxville, Tennessee. Einstein’s trainer, Stephanie White, says it’s natural for African gray parrots to enjoy imitating sounds. However, Einstein seems exceptionally good at mimicking. White believes that Einstein can produce more than 200 different sounds, many of which are English words.

“If he hears a sound he likes, he’ll start repeating it over and over again. Then we’ll put it on at the right time,” says White.

Is Einstein male or female?

African gray parrots of both sexes look the same, so no one knows if Einstein is male or female. The zoo’s veterinarians were able to verify this with a blood test, but the zoo has decided not to do so. Einstein lives happily with the name of a great male scientist and a female pronoun.

Einstein – Biography of a Talking African Gray

Einstein, the African Gray Talking Parrot, was born in California in 1987. At first he did not live in a zoo. He lived with a couple from California. Not for sale, the Congo African Gray was donated to the zoo in 1992 at the age of 5.

When Einstein arrived at the Knoxville Zoo, he went from being an unknown African gray parrot to becoming a star. Einstein was an instant hit at the zoo’s new Bird Show. Visitors loved the show, which features natural free-flight behaviors of some 14 birds and a few other animals. However, the African gray quickly became the star.

Einstein doesn’t stay at the zoo every day. He also does not limit his vocabulary to words and sounds that his trainers want him to learn. One day, the African gray parrot was traveling in a car on his way to a school show-and-tell. Suddenly, he started singing “Happy Birthday” to the surprised coaches of him. No one knew when and how he learned the song, but she did.

Einstein isn’t just the star of the Knoxville Zoo’s bird show. She is also a popular “spokesperson” for the Knoxville Zoo and tourism.

Although Einstein is about 22 years old when I write this (early 2007), he will never behave or understand like a 22-year-old human being. African gray parrots have the brainpower of a 5 year old. Emotionally, they are more like a 2-year-old human. Those who live with African gray parrots are constantly reminded of this.

African Grey: The Right Pet For You?

Einstein, the talking African gray is amazing. However, you should keep in mind that not all African Grays are like Einstein. The Knoxville Zoo has another African gray parrot named Allie. Allie has learned only a handful of words. Maybe Allie is embarrassed to speak up because Einstein is so good. Maybe Allie just isn’t motivated.

Certainly many African gray parrots learn to talk. A 10-year-old privately owned African gray parrot in Texas, also named Einstein, is credited with knowing 122 words, 94 sentences and 21 sounds.

If you buy an African gray parrot and work patiently with it, you will probably be able to teach it to talk.