The Gray Parrot Diet

The African gray parrot is a parrot native to Western and Central Africa. These parrots live in large groups in the rain forest or savanna. The African gray parrot grows to about 13 inches in length and about 14 oz. in weight. They can live to be fifty years of age or older. African gray parrots are omnivores, eating both plants and animals, though the majority of their diet is made up of plants.

  1. Diet

    • In their natural habitat, African gray parrots feed on a variety of tropical fruits, seeds, berries, nuts and buds. African gray parrots also eat pollen and nectar from tropical plants. Though their diet consists mostly of vegetation, African grays occasionally eat insects.

    Feeding Habits

    • African gray parrots find the majority of their food in the treetops of the rain forest and not on the forest floor. African grays have specially designed beaks that allow them to break into nuts or seeds with hard outer layers. African gray parrots climb among the forest branches looking for food. They then use their clawed feet to hold the food while they eat it.

    Oil Palm Nut

    • African gray parrots often eat the outer layer of the oil palm nut, which grows in the African rain forest. As its name suggests, the outer layer of the oil palm nut has a moist, oily texture.

    Cola Tragacantha

    • The African gray parrot often eats the bright red fruits that grow from the cola tragacantha tree. Like the African gray parrot, this tree is native to the African rain forest.

    Benefits to the Environment

    • African gray parrots are beneficial to their environment because they help to distribute seeds and pollen throughout the rain forest. Not all of the seeds that the parrot eats are digested, so the bird's droppings carry viable seeds that are able to grow into trees or other plants. Because African gray parrots eat nectar, the birds are able to pollinate tropical plants with their droppings.

    In Captivity

    • When in captivity, the African gray parrot is often fed fruits and vegetables in addition to specialized parrot food.

      When kept as pets, African grays are often fed chopped vegetables and greens high in calcium such as broccoli and spinach. They also enjoy small pieces of fresh fruit such as bananas, apples, grapes and oranges. While a specialized, pellet-form food usually makes up the majority of the parrot's diet, fruits and vegetables are used as a supplement to help the African gray get proper nutrition and enjoy a variety of different foods.