I'm a 9 inch long Senegal parrot and probably the most readily available of the genus poicephalus, and I'm instantly recognizable with my charcoal-gray head, black beak and yellow-to-orange chest marked with a distinctive green V. My olive-green wings sport yellow "epaulets" at the bend. I'm an adult, so my eyes are yellow-gold; baby Senegals have grey eyes.
Being a compact parrot, I'm considered as perfect an apartment pet as one could desire. Young, hand-raised Senegals develop sweet, friendly dispositions and bond closely with their owners. We are capable of amusing ourselves inside our cages for extended periods of time, although any chance I get out of my cage, I'm looking for something to chew on. Most of us will adapt well to a career person's schedule, like mom or dad's. We can be somewhat shy, but I never had that problem.
Senegals are not loud, but our whistles can be considered shrill to some ears.
We can become fair talkers, especially when words or phrases are
repeated over and over to us while we are still young. A Senegal parrot can make a great first bird for someone who wishes to start with a small bird that really acts like a large parrot.
We are happier in roomy cages and enjoy flitting about between two swings installed inside. Mornings incite an almost involuntary display of whistling, chirping, climbing and leaping about the cage. I can't help it, I'm just always so happy to see Mom in the mornings!
Like our larger psittacine cousins, we use our feet to play and
eat. We are especially fond of small foot-held wooded playthings and enjoy gnawing on larger handling wood toys. (I like chewing on ANYTHING whenever I'm loose and sometimes I make Mom mad and she puts me away!)
We are native to central-west Africa where we live in open
forests and savannah woodlands. There is some seasonal migration as we have to travel toward food sources. Our natural environment is so harsh that we have evolved into hardy, adaptable creatures.
Senegal parrots make excellent pet birds, learn to talk and are fairly quiet.
I am more than the typical Senegal: playful, cuddly and cute. I can't think of a better pet than a bird like me for the average bird owner.
We can become fair talkers, especially when words or phrases are
repeated over and over to us while we are still young. A Senegal parrot can make a great first bird for someone who wishes to start with a small bird that really acts like a large parrot.
