Birds That Have Gray Coloring

Pet birds certainly can be found sporting flashy feathers in every color of the rainbow. However, a sophisticated, silver companion may be more your speed. Parrots, cockatiels, finches, doves and pigeons all are pet birds found in shades of gray.

  1. African Gray Parrot

    • African gray parrots are one of the most intelligent breeds of bird. They use their smarts to develop large vocabularies, and some even learn to identify certain shapes, colors and objects. There are two types of African gray parrots: Congo and timneh. The Congo variety grows to around 13 inches with gray feathers, white around the eyes and a bright red tail. The timneh looks very similar, but only grows to 9 inches with a maroon tail. Timnehs are considered to be a more docile than the larger Congo.

    Cockatiel

    • The cockatiel is a small parrot, about a foot long, bearing a flashy crest similar to a cockatoo. It doesn't talk as much as some parrots, but is an expert whistler. Male cockatiels often will whistle elaborate tunes that can be either originals or tunes heard on the radio. The gray cockatiel has a gray body, with white on their wings. The face and crest are lemon yellow, with orange cheeks. Cockatiels come in other color varieties, including light brown, pure white, and a mix of white, gray and yellow.

    Zebra Finch

    • Finches are small birds, only growing about 4 inches long. Zebra finches don̵7;t care for handling and must be kept in their cage or aviary most of the time. While you may not be able to cuddle with your finch, these song birds are fun to watch and listen to. Zebra finches have gray bodies and faces, with a striped black and gray chest. Their bellies are white and their wings edged in brown. They have colorful red-orange beaks, feet and cheeks. Many varieties of finches, including society, spice and strawberry, are kept as pets.

    Dove

    • Doves are sleek, beautiful birds. Ring neck and diamond doves are two varieties commonly kept as pets. The ring neck dove comes in a rainbow of colors, including gray. Gray ring neck doves have grey bodies with a dark stripe behind the neck and grow to around 11 inches. Diamond doves are smaller than ring necks, only around 7 inches. Diamond doves are gray with a pale stomach. They have a bright orange ring around their eyes. Doves are quiet, friendly and make excellent pets.

    Pigeon

    • The term pigeon is used to describe larger, bulkier doves. The rock dove is what most people call a pigeon. They are found frequently scavenging for food in urban areas. Pigeons can be kept as pets and often are bred to race. Rock doves have pale gray bodies with darker gray heads, tails and wing tips. An iridescent blue-green band circles their neck. When housed alone, pigeons make loyal and friendly pets. Make sure you adopt your pigeon from a reputable breeder, since a wild pigeon isn̵7;t tame and could harbor disease.