Parrot Jaco. Description, maintenance and care.

Pet parrots

One of the most popular birds in our homes are budgerigars; they are wonderful pets that have beautiful colors and good character. They can live in a small cage and occasionally fly around the house, and that will be enough for them. But this species is not large. The more interesting of the subspecies of parrots is the Gray. Gray parrots are one of the most popular species of large poultry. According to legend, this is the favorite bird of the Egyptian pharaohs, which lived in their royal palaces for many years. But not only the ancient Egyptians loved such birds, they were also joined by the English king Henry the Eighth. And now in our time this type of parrot is very popular for the home, since the gray parrot at home takes root very well and feels great. But at the same time, owners of such birds should not forget about the need for proper feeding and care of the bird.

Habitat and lifestyle

Jacos are typical parrots of Africa. They live in forests in the central and western part of the continent. Birds are also found on the oceanic islands of Bioko and Principe. The birds' habitat covers Uganda, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Congo, Cameroon, Angola, Gabon and Ghana.

The large gray parrot inhabits predominantly damp lowland forests, but is also found at an altitude of 2200 m above sea level. It inhabits wooded savannas, mangroves, glades, orchards and cultivated areas. The African gray parrot is often found in open landscapes adjacent to forested areas. It nests in tree hollows and migrates to other regions during the dry season.

The wild African gray parrot has a cautious nature and avoids direct contact with people. It leads a gregarious lifestyle and nests together with a large group of its relatives. During the day the bird searches for food, and at night it rests in the treetops.

Interesting! Gray parrots have a highly developed hierarchy. Young individuals respect older members of the pack and learn from them how to behave in different situations.

Features of Gray's life

Gray parrots are quite large birds. Their sizes can reach up to thirty-five centimeters, and they can weigh more than six hundred grams. These wonderful pets came to us from African countries and took root quite well. These are one of the few birds that, in addition to flying, also love to walk on the ground. In their native places, namely Central Africa, these birds gather in large flocks and live in forested areas.

Jacos are monogamous and choose their mates themselves. This is very important to them, and this becomes one of the biggest problems when breeding these birds in captivity. Gray parrot chicks live with their parents for up to three months. While the eggs are incubating, the female practically does not get up or leave the nest, and the male does all the necessary work in the nest and brings food to his beloved.

Parrot feeding

Gray parrots primarily feed on seeds. This is the simplest food this animal can find in nature. If there is no delicacy such as nuts nearby, Grays can eat fruits or even leaves. Such a diet in nature can provide the bird with all the vitamins and minerals it needs.

Most of all, these birds love to eat seeds such as millet and corn, but they will also not refuse oats or a variety of nuts. In our area, these birds can include apples, carrots, and pears in their diet. But don't forget about their native fruits like bananas and oranges.

When feeding a parrot with fruits, do not forget that they can spoil, and at the same time they must be taken from places where the bird can eat them. Spoiled food can cause health problems for your pet.

In addition to a sufficient amount of food, a large amount of clean water is of great importance for Grays.

Gray parrot intelligence

These birds are among the most intelligent of their kind. Thus, the level of intelligence of a Gray Gray, when compared with a person, can be at the level of a child of about three or even four years old. Therefore, researchers of these birds recommend keeping the animal in a fairly large cage and periodically giving it the opportunity to fly around your apartment. This will allow him to train his muscles and not fall into a depressed state.

The peculiarity of this parrot is that they can not only reproduce the sounds they hear, but also repeat the intonation of their owner when pronouncing these phrases. In addition, researchers claim that Grays can determine the situation in which they need to speak, and their words can carry some meaning.

In addition to all of the above, the gray parrot can also sing songs, especially those that it often hears. But in order for this animal to feel good and develop, it needs communication with humans. If you take good care of it and spend your free time with it, this bird can become attached to you and become a good friend.

Character and intelligence of birds

Grays are ideal for home breeding. This is due to the fact that they have an extremely flexible character. This bird almost never shows aggression towards people and other pets.

In captivity, Jacos are quite partial. As a rule, they choose one owner, whom they mainly bestow with their attention. At the same time, one cannot fail to note such a character trait of this parrot as jealousy. The bird becomes very worried if the owner's attention is concentrated on another pet.

Jaco parrots are very playful and emotional. The game is of great interest for the bird if the owner participates in it.

These parrots are among the most intellectually developed. They can easily imitate both human speech and other sounds. It has been noted that Jacos can remember up to several hundred words. It is believed that the intelligence of a parrot in certain parameters is comparable to the intelligence of a child in the first years of life.

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Lifespan of a Gray

Many people, before getting a pet, are often interested in their life expectancy. And this is quite correct behavior, because often we become so attached to our pets that we cannot imagine life without them. And therefore, when choosing a bird such as a gray parrot, it is worth asking how long a gray parrot lives.

Unlike many other parrots, the Gray's lifespan is quite long. There are cases when these birds lived to be seventy or even ninety years old. Although the average life expectancy of such parrots is about fifty years.

General Information about the Red-tailed Gray

Latin name Psittacus erithacus erithacus. The predominant color in the plumage is gray. The areas around the eyes are white. And from the name the color of the tail becomes clear - bright red. The beak is black. Paws are dark gray. The average length is about 33 cm (ranges from 30 to 36 cm). Weight 400-650 grams. Range - from southeastern Cote d'Ivoire to Western Kenya, northwestern Tanzania, South and Central Democratic Republic of the Congo to northern Angola. There are also separate isolated populations in the Kilimanjaro region and Tanzania.

Red-tailed grays are long-lived, and as a result, it is very difficult to track the fate of the bird over several decades, so information is often contradictory. For example, the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London mentions two individuals aged 73 and 93 years. But there is no documentary evidence of this information. The most reliable case is described in the International Zoo Yearbook about a bird that lived for 49.7 years. Russian sources most often provide such incredible data that it seems that they were invented on the spot. In any case, considering how long gray parrots live, purchasing such a pet should be approached very responsibly!

Chicks can be identified by the color of their tail and iris. The tail of the chicks is dark grey/maroon, becoming bright red by the first year of life. The eyes of the chicks are black, gradually change color to gray, and then become pale yellow in adults.

Gray Gray

The gray gray parrot is one of several subspecies of this wonderful bird. They are not particularly brightly colored, unlike many of their relatives, but their distinguishing feature is their good mental level. Among the birds it can be called the smartest. The color of the bird will range from dark gray to a light, almost whitish hue. Another distinctive feature of this species is the yellow color of the iris.

Externally, they are quite massive and reach up to thirty centimeters in length. And sometimes especially large individuals can be up to forty-five centimeters. By appearance you can distinguish a female from a male. Females have a rounder nose, while males may have a distinct hump. Also, when choosing a bird, pay attention to the fact that a younger individual will be lighter, and with age the bird’s plumage becomes darker.

general information

According to the international classification of biological species, Jaco belongs to the genus of blunt-tailed parrots of the parrot family. A curious fact is that this species is the only one of its kind.

These are quite large birds, the size of which reaches about 35 centimeters, it should be noted that usually females are somewhat smaller than males. In this case, the wingspan can be about 60-65 centimeters. The tail of an adult parrot is approximately 8 centimeters in length.

The plumage of the Jaco parrot is characteristic of its species. Thus, most of the feathers have a silvery-ashy tint. At the same time, they have a slightly lighter edging around the edges. Thanks to this feature, from afar the plumage of a parrot can be mistaken for scales. The tail stands out clearly against the background of the rest of the body. The plumage on it has red or brown shades.

The bird's beak is black. With the help of its beak, the bird obtains food and builds nests, so it is quite massive.

Jaco's eyes are round and have yellow irises. However, this only applies to adults. Young birds and chicks have black eyes.

In general, Jaco has a rather characteristic appearance, so it is almost impossible to confuse him with other types of parrots.

In the photo there is a Jaco parrot:

Red-tailed parrot

The red-tailed gray parrot has distinct tail feathers. The entire plumage of the parrot is a lighter grayish color. The only distinguishing feature is the tail. Its color can range from bright red to darker and even brown.

In addition, this species lacks feathering on the front of its head. The Red-tailed Gray's neck will be darker, and the body itself will be a couple of shades darker.

But it is not only belonging to the genus that distinguishes these birds. Also, coloring may depend on the bird’s birthplace. Thus, a Gray born in the Congo will have darker colored plumage and a larger body. While the Nigerian Gray will have a much lighter color.

Some time ago, these birds were considered very rare and were brought to European countries at a very high price.

How do Grays live?

The gray parrot, like many other bird species, lives in small flocks. Basically, these birds try to place their nests on high parts of trees. This allows them to protect themselves and their offspring from predators. This behavior of Grays is an understandable defense mechanism.

Birds try to locate in places where there is enough food and water. Their diet can be very varied, but most of their diet consists of greens and nuts. Due to their good level of intelligence, these birds can fly long distances where there are cereal crops.

Peculiarities of breeding of birds of the genus Gray

The gray parrot is one of the few species of monogamous animals. This bird chooses a mate for life. If Grays live in a large flock in the wild, they can build nests in pairs in which they will live for many years. They devote a lot of time to building beautiful and high-quality housing.

After the couple makes a home together, the birds begin to lay eggs. This is usually about five to six eggs in one year. They hatch for about a month. After which the parents care for their offspring for about two more months.

Considering all the features of finding a pair in these birds, we can say that reproduction in captivity is very difficult, and for some particularly capricious individuals it is almost impossible. A couple needs to spend a long time together and get used to each other, although there were situations when, even after many years of living together, an artificially created couple did not want to be together.

Keeping at home

The docile nature and intellectual abilities of Jacos, coupled with their spectacular appearance, are the reason that these birds are almost ideal for the role of pets. However, it should be borne in mind that, unlike common budgies, keeping a Jaco has a number of certain features.

How to choose a chick

To keep it as a pet, you must purchase a chick or a young individual. This is due to the fact that an adult Jaco, as a rule, has an already formed character and his own personal attachments. In addition, a bird’s cognitive abilities weaken with age, so it is quite difficult to teach a mature bird anything new.

The chicks, in addition to being significantly smaller in size than the adult representatives of the species, have external features, the most noticeable of which is the absence of an iris. It begins to show with age, becoming bright yellow after puberty. At the same time, it is almost impossible to determine the age of an adult bird by external signs.

It is best to purchase birds from breeders who specialize in their breeding. When buying a bird from private individuals, the future owner takes quite a risk, since there is the possibility of purchasing a sick or weakened individual.

In addition to breeders, you can also buy a parrot at a pet store. However, as mentioned earlier, this species is still quite exotic in Russia, so you can purchase Jaco only in the largest of them or on order.

The cost of a chick greatly depends on factors such as age, subspecies, gender, and the presence of social skills. On average, you can buy a bird for 20-25 thousand rubles.

Naturally, professional breeders not only sell Jacos, but also prepare all the necessary documents for them.

These include:

• CITES approval;
• veterinary passport;
• tests;
• vaccination certificate.

A chick with a full set of documents from professional breeders costs at least 50 thousand rubles.

Nutrition

At home, the pet prefers the same food as in the wild, but its diet still has some peculiarities.

So, Jaco’s diet must necessarily contain:

1. Grain mixtures. Today, dozens of manufacturers offer optimally selected and balanced multi-component mixtures for medium-sized parrots, one of which is sure to please your pet.
2. Fresh vegetables and fruits. The most natural food for Jaco, which should be present in the diet. Parrots happily eat bananas, apples, pears, mangoes, carrots and so on.
3. Nuts. Nuts are a treat for parrots and an important source of essential nutrients.

Almonds contain substances that can cause severe poisoning in birds , so it is prohibited to give them to Jaco. In addition, the owner can add various vitamin and mineral supplements to the food at his own discretion or on the recommendation of a veterinarian.

Which cell to choose

Jaco is a fairly large bird, so a cage for him must be selected taking into account his size. It should be taken into account that the pet must move freely around it, and, in addition, it must accommodate feeders, bathing baths, toys and several perches. The bars for the cage must be iron, but the birds can bite through plastic bars, which can lead to injury in the future.

Bird care

Caring for a parrot does not require any special effort on the part of the owner. However, the mandatory procedures must be:

1. Cleaning the cage . The cage must be cleaned of food residues, feathers and excrement every day. Once a week, the cage should be completely cleaned using a disinfectant.
2. Bathing. Most Jacos love to swim. To do this, you need to purchase a special bathhouse installed in a cage. Some birds prefer to bathe under a small stream of water.

Training and speech training

Jaco parrots are highly trainable and can often be found talking. Moreover, the younger the bird, the greater success can be achieved in the training process. It is important to note that progress largely depends on the regularity of classes.

Grays quickly learn to imitate human speech. The owner should allocate 15-20 minutes a day to pronounce the necessary word or phrase in front of the bird. In this case, clarity of diction and speech delivery is important. If the owner does not have enough time for personal training, then the bird can be taught to speak using a voice recording, which, however, is less effective.

Features of reproduction

Grays are one of the few species whose representatives create permanent pairs. However, it should be noted that these birds are extremely selective when choosing a partner. It is not always that a male and a female who live even in the same cage can create a pair.

Pets become sexually mature quite late - at the age of 5 years. Egg laying takes 3-4 days. Females usually lay 3 to 5 eggs, which they incubate for a month. After the chicks hatch, the parents take care of them for quite a long time, although the young individuals make their first flights from 2-3 months of life.

What difficulties may arise

Like any other pets, Jacos are susceptible to various diseases, which a responsible owner must recognize at an early stage in order to begin treatment on time.

Let's look at some of the most common ones:

1. Salmonellosis. Infectious disease of bacterial etiology. Birds of all ages are susceptible. The main symptoms are lethargy, lack of appetite, and bowel movements. The reasons are unsanitary conditions and poor quality food.
2. Tick-borne diseases. Caused by parasites - microscopic mites. Main signs: restlessness, lack of appetite, frequent shaking.
3. Self-plucking. Quite a common disease. It is expressed in the fact that the parrot plucks out its feathers, as a result of which large bald spots appear in the plumage. The reasons may be related to metabolic, nutritional, and psychological disorders. Treatment is prescribed by a veterinarian and is aimed at eliminating the causes of the disease.

It is also useful to read: Necklace parrot

Keeping a Gray parrot

Jaco is a very emotional and intelligent bird. Because of this, the first thing you will need when purchasing one is a large cage. Large space helps him feel more comfortable. In addition, you need to periodically give the bird the opportunity to fly in a larger room than it is constantly in. Such an event will give Grays the opportunity to feel much better both physically and mentally.

The Gray bird also becomes very attached to its owner, and there were times when even it became jealous of other people or animals. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that when new people arrive in your home, you should not leave the bird alone. For some time you should sit with guests next to your bird.

A gray parrot that is not kept properly may become ill, especially psychologically. One of the main ways to tell if a bird is uncomfortable is by making noise. In nature, a flock of parrots will make noise in order to ward off danger. Therefore, if your bird makes a lot of noise, it is uncomfortable, and this is the first sign of an unstable moral state.

Physiologically, the Gray bird is very susceptible to excess weight. To do this, you need to give him the opportunity to get some physical activity and monitor proper and balanced nutrition. Do not overfeed your pet, as this can become a problem. In order for your parrot to receive all the necessary elements and at the same time remain healthy, he needs to eat grains such as wheat, oats, corn, millet, buckwheat, rice, and do not forget about greens.

If the bird has some psychological disorders, it will harm itself. When a Gray is bored, he can pluck his feathers. Therefore, when you leave, always leave some kind of toy for your pet. It could be a simple ball or a small piece of candy in a beautiful and shiny package.

How to teach Jaco to speak

It is very easy to train gray parrots to speak. Moreover, the ability to remember and imitate is the same, regardless of gender or subspecies. Don't be disappointed if your parrot doesn't talk for a long time. A bird can be silent for years, but sooner or later it will delight its owner with whole phrases.

After all, Jaco speaks only when he feels comfortable. And if the bird feels that it is treated like a member of the family, loved, and paid attention, then it will definitely begin to repeat what it heard.

To hear words from your pet, you should follow these recommendations:

• After purchasing a pet, give it the opportunity to get acquainted with the surroundings and family members.
• Start your studies with regular taming (the parrot should get used to the teacher well, they are not afraid of him).
• Conducts classes daily, without absences.
• Talk a lot in the presence of a bird.
• Repeat daily the words you are supposed to learn, the name of the pet.
• Praise the chick and encourage its success with treats.
• In the absence of the owners, leave the parrot playing music, cartoons or movies.

Watch your vocabulary, and do not try to use filler words in the presence of a bird. In practice, these are exactly what feathered friends like to repeat.

Impression of a gray parrot

Gray parrots bring the most positive and kind impression to their owners. People who own such a bird can spend a lot of time with it. These are intelligent and sociable birds. One of the smartest was Alex (a gray parrot), whose photos are very common. He lived for almost fifty years. But during his life he brought people a lot of positive emotions, it was a gray parrot, reviews and conversations about which continue even after his death. His level of mental development amazed many scientists.

If you are planning to get yourself such a bird, be prepared that you will need to devote a lot of time to it. The happy gray parrot, the photo of which you can see in our article, is a great achievement of its owner. Therefore, if you are willing to devote enough time to the bird, then it will become a very good friend for many years.

When choosing a bird, also pay attention to its personality, the best method to check if a bird is right for you is to spend some time with it before taking it home. Thus, the gray parrot will feel much better at home.