Q&A for How to Determine the Sex of African Grey Parrots

The female African Grey parrot’s tail feathers are red, but they also possess silver hues; the tail feathers of the male African Grey is fully red.

They sometimes will bite anyone that it around their cage often. This is to show the human, in this case a female human, that they are the boss of their cage.

Birds feathers can get pulled out by mistake. This is normal if he isn't bleeding after pulling them out and is acting normal. He should be fine and the feathers will take about six weeks to grow back. If you are concerned or feel he is acting different, you should take him to the vet.

Of course. An African grey parrot can bond with anyone, regardless of gender. Just go through the bonding process slowly and carefully so that the bird can get to know you gradually and see that you're not a threat.

It's just a drawing.

Your bird may simply be in molting season. If you don't think this is the case, he/she might simply be bored, in which case you should give him/her more toys and more attention. If all else fails, take your bird to the vet.

No, because you might have to wait for a very long time. A female African Grey Parrot may wait until her teens, twenties or even thirties to begin brooding.

The female tends to be smaller and more slender when compared to the male African Grey. The female has a longer neck and a rounder head whereas the male has a shorter neck and a less slender middle section. The male African Grey has a square head, almost flat.

Absolutely, it can if he or she wants it to. However, don't be afraid as usually they can sense the need to be gentle, you are their family after all. It's similar to play bites from cats and dogs with their human family, most such bites don't break skin because they're play bites. If they do break skin, say "No!" with authority and place the bird back in its cage immediately. The bird needs to learn that this is not acceptable and you won't submit to it or their behaviour will get worse. This means no yelling, getting upset in an obvious way, as the bird will just think that's part of a fun game. Stay calm and be authoritative with your voice.

Pink or red feathers are most often due to damaged feather follicles or health issues. Has he ever plucked? This will often be a cause of pink or red feathers. It also could be a sign of psittacine beak and feather disease. Please visit your avian veterinarian to make sure this isn’t anything serious.

No, he/she mimics human talking. If you are female, the bird will have a feminine voice, if you are male, the bird will have a manly voice.

Female African greys don’t stop laying eggs; they will willingly lay eggs up until their death. Egg laying can cause problems including egg binding and osteoporosis. Unless you are planning to breed, avoid egg laying as much as possible. This can be avoided by allowing the bird to sleep at least 10 hours, undisturbed (preferably 12); no mushy or warm foods; no tents, huts or dark enclosed spaces and no stroking or rubbing anywhere else than the head and neck.

Not sure if you bought it recently or if you've had it the whole ten years. Sometimes they scream if there is something new they're adjusting to. First find out what he's screaming for. Usually it is because they want attention. If it is because of this, stop what you're doing whenever he screams and walk out the room and ignore him for a minute. When you come back and he is quiet, pay lots of attention to him so he realizes that being quiet gets him what he wants. Reward him every time he is quiet, but ignore ever ytime he is noisy.

The bracelet is put on there by the bird's original breeder. It is used for identification. The birthdate is on there most of the time, but only the year. It's normally the 2 digit number on the band. You can keep the band on him for identification purposes (like in the case of escape), but if you feel that it is bothering him, you can ask a avian vet to snip it off for you, as they usually will do it for free.