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| African grey parrot | |
|---|---|
| Name | African grey parrot |
| Status | Vulnerable |
| Status system | IUCN3.1 |
| Genus | Psittacus |
| Species | erithacus |
| Authority | Linnaeus, 1758 |
African grey parrot The African grey parrot is a medium-sized Old World parrot widely studied for cognition and vocal mimicry, notable in captive aviculture and natural history collections. It appears in scientific literature, conservation policy debates, and popular culture through associations with researchers, governments, and institutions.
The species was described by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae and placed in the genus Psittacus, a taxonomic treatment later revised in works by Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace, and contributors to the International Ornithologists' Union checklists. Subsequent subspecific and population-level treatments were discussed in monographs by the Royal Society and field guides used by the Linnean Society, while genetic analyses citing methodologies from research groups at Harvard University, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Natural History Museum, London refined relationships among African psittacids. Nomenclatural stability has been influenced by rulings and standards established by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature and cited in global assessments by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Adult morphology was quantified in anatomical surveys conducted with specimens from the British Museum and the American Museum of Natural History, with plumage descriptions referenced in field guides used by ornithologists affiliated with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and universities such as University of Oxford. Diagnostic features including size, bill shape, and eye coloration were measured following protocols similar to those used in studies at Cornell Lab of Ornithology and compared across populations sampled in expeditions funded by organizations like the World Wildlife Fund and the European Commission. Vocal repertoire analyses drawing on acoustic methods from labs at the Max Planck Institute and recordings archived by the Xeno-canto community have been used to differentiate populations.
Range mapping has been produced using data collaborations among the IUCN Red List, the BirdLife International database, and national wildlife services of countries including the Republic of Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo. Habitat descriptions reference forest classifications developed by researchers associated with the United Nations Environment Programme and regional conservation programs administered by the African Union and bilateral projects with agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development. Historical range shifts are discussed in regional atlases compiled by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and in environmental impact assessments submitted to the World Bank.
Social structure and cognitive studies cite experimental protocols from laboratories at University of Cambridge, the University of Arizona, and the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, while ethological observations were made in field studies supported by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Vocal learning has been compared to work on communication in species studied by teams at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and in comparative analyses published via the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Seasonal movement and roosting behavior have been documented in reports prepared for governments of Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Liberia and in longitudinal studies coordinated with the National Geographic Society.
Dietary composition was characterized in nutritional studies employing methods from laboratories at the University of California, Davis and in field sampling campaigns supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization and conservation NGOs such as the Rainforest Alliance. Analyses of fruit and seed preferences referenced botanical research involving herbaria at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Missouri Botanical Garden, and comparisons across habitats used datasets curated by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and the European Commission's Copernicus program.
Breeding biology and clutch parameters were documented in studies disseminated through journals associated with the Royal Society and researchers at institutions including the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Pretoria. Nest-site selection, typically in tree cavities, was quantified using methodologies developed in projects funded by the World Bank and the African Development Bank and coordinated with protected-area management authorities such as those overseeing parks in the Korup National Park and Taï National Park. Captive breeding protocols used by zoos accredited by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums informed demographic models applied by the IUCN SSC Parrot Specialist Group.
The species' assessment on the IUCN Red List and listings under international trade instruments such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora reflect data compiled by BirdLife International, national administrations, and enforcement agencies including INTERPOL and customs services. Major threats cited in policy reports include habitat loss documented by satellite analyses from NASA and land-use studies by the United Nations; unsustainable harvest for the pet trade investigated by NGOs like TRAFFIC; and disease risks monitored by veterinary authorities at the World Organisation for Animal Health. Conservation responses involve action plans coordinated by the IUCN SSC Parrot Specialist Group, protected-area designations under frameworks promoted by the Convention on Biological Diversity, and community-based initiatives supported by foundations such as the MacArthur Foundation and the Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Category:Psittacus