They Remain Blind and Featherless for Weeks After Birth
Ironically, the African Grey, one of the most intelligent birds in the world, begins its life completely defenseless. When they hatch, their eyes are closed and they have almost no feathers on their bodies. It takes 10 days for their eyes to open and 3 weeks for their feathers to start growing. This makes them one of the birds that require the longest parental care in nature.
First Attempts at Imitation Mixed with Hunger
At just six weeks old, African Grey chicks begin to notice the sounds around them and try to repeat some syllables. However, these attempts are often mixed with cries of hunger. Although owners often think this is just a sign of hunger, these early vocalizations are the first steps toward their future ability to mimic sounds.
Extremely Sensitive Thermal Regulation Development
Chicks are extremely sensitive to temperature changes during their first two weeks. They cannot survive without a constant temperature of 35-37°C in the nest. Their bodies are programmed to conserve heat rather than produce it, so in the wild, parent birds take turns incubating the eggs. In a home environment, thermostat malfunctions can be fatal within a few hours.
As Chicks, They Learn to “Fall” Rather Than Fly
African grey parrot chicks use their wings not to fly, but to learn how to land. When they first leave the nest, they spend more time learning to fall slowly and safely than flapping their wings. This “learning to fall” period lasts about 2 weeks.
They May Be Afraid of Adult Sounds
During the chick stage, it is not loud music or sudden door noises that scare them the most, but the high-pitched screams of adult parrots. This shows that even natural sounds within the flock can be stressful for young chicks. Especially when kept with other species, stress-related feather plucking behavior may develop.
Introducing Them to a Cage at a Very Young Age Can Disrupt Their Development
Many owners want to get their chicks used to a cage as early as possible. However, in their natural environment, chicks spend their first two months in the nest, during which time they are accustomed to warm, soft surroundings rather than narrow, enclosed spaces. Early cage training can cause them to become introverted and anxious individuals in the future.
Beak Development Follows Separate Evolutionary Steps for Both Nutrition and Defense
The beak of African Grey chicks is soft at birth and suitable for sucking. After the second week, cartilage begins to form in the beak, and this stage is important not only for breaking down food but also for developing “attack-defense” reflexes with toys. These reflexes are linked to defending the nest in the wild.
You Can See How They Are Learning by Watching Their Mouths While They Eat
Well-cared-for chicks do not just swallow their food while eating, they also observe their surroundings. The movement of the muscles around the eyes when the mouth is slightly open indicates their level of attention and mental activity. In a way, the mouth position of a parrot chick provides clues about its mental development.
They Begin to Distinguish Their Owners from Other Chicks at 6 Weeks
Interestingly, chicks recognize humans more by smell and vibration than by tone of voice. From the sixth week onwards, they begin to behave more quietly towards the person they are most interested in and more shyly towards others. This individual attachment directly influences their social behavior in the future.
The First Bond They Form as Chicks Shapes Their Behavior Throughout Their Lives
The person or bird that African Grey chicks have the most contact with during their first two months influences all of their social behavior. If this individual is consistently gentle, the bird will be trust-oriented throughout its life. However, if the initial contact is harsh, the chick is left alone, or there are frequent changes in its environment, the bird will be cautious and suspicious of humans even in later years.
Early Socialization Can Lead to Excessive Dependency
Parrots that are constantly held and never left alone when young may refuse to eat without their owners in later life and even start screaming for attention. This dependence can seriously reduce the quality of life for both the animal and its owner. Experts therefore recommend a balance of “controlled love.”
They Learn Empathy from Other Birds
African Grey chicks tend to learn not only by imitation but also through observation. When they observe another bird in the same environment being scared or happy, they internalize similar reactions. Reactions to toys or new people are largely based on these observations.
Chicks Raised Alone Become Excessively Sensitive to Sound
Baby parrots raised alone begin to assign separate meanings to every sound in their environment due to a lack of interaction. This often makes them noisy and unpredictable. For example, the sound of a vacuum cleaner may remind some of them that their owner is coming home, while others may perceive it as a threat.
They Imitate Even in Their Dreams
It has been observed that sleeping African Grey chicks silently repeat syllables or hum the sounds they make while asleep. This is one of the most concrete behaviors observed in birds that suggests the brain reinforces learning during REM sleep. Some owners have even reported that their birds repeat their names in their dreams.
Cognitive Responses Equivalent to a 3-4 Year Old Human Child Have Been Observed in Intelligence Tests
Even at a few months old, when given the same toy in different shapes, baby parrots can remember previous uses and develop new approaches. This behavior is explained by learned logic rather than simple repetition and has been compared to 3-year-old children in some studies.
Feather Development Shows Parallelism with Mental Development
The emergence of feathers in density and order indicates that the chick is not under stress and is well-nourished. However, what is truly intriguing is the parallel progression of feather development and cognitive development. Chicks with poor feather development have been observed to exhibit lower performance in imitation and response tasks.
Sensitivity to the Environment Is Not Limited to Sound
Baby African Greys can also distinguish smells. They may be completely unresponsive or visibly distressed by human-derived scents such as hand soap, hairspray, and perfume. They also frequently exhibit a tendency to hide their feet or flee when exposed to certain fabric textures.
The First Sounds They Imitate as Babies Are Usually Related to Food
The first words they learn are usually food-related words such as “yummy,” “mama,” “hmm,” and “yes.” They choose these words because they are the words their owners say most often in a positive tone. In other words, parrots memorize energy rather than meaning.
Nutritional Mistakes Made During the Juvenile Period Can Cause Permanent Voice Disorders
Feeding hand-fed chicks with food that is too hot or using the wrong syringe can cause microdamage to the throat. This can lead to a hoarse voice, inability to produce high-pitched sounds, or swallowing certain sounds in later years. An African Grey with a clear and bright voice is usually well-fed during infancy.
In the Natural Environment, Loss of Young Is Most Often Due to a Lack of Harmony Between the Parents
According to field observations in Africa, most chick losses are not due to external threats but to an imbalance in parental care. If the mother is overly protective and the father does not provide enough food, or vice versa, the chick may die from starvation or exposure to cold temperatures. This shows that mating requires not only physical compatibility but also “psychological compatibility.”
Reactions to Mirrors as Infants Show the First Signs of Self-Awareness
When 4- to 6-week-old African Grey chicks encounter a mirror for the first time, they either attack it or try to regurgitate food onto themselves. However, starting around the eighth week, their behavior toward the mirror changes: they begin to make eye contact and repeat head movements. Some researchers consider this to be an early form of “self-awareness” observed in primates.
Chicks Raised in Excessive Light at Home Molt Faster
Exposure to daylight accelerates the biological clock of chicks. Early feathering and earlier sexual maturity are observed in chicks raised in LED-lit environments. However, this also carries the risk of a weakened immune system and behavioral disorders in the future. The natural daylight rhythm is ideal for development.
Some Young Birds Are Born Left- or Right-Footed
In African Grey parrots, foot use is mostly right- or left-sided. By carefully observing which foot the chick uses to reach toys during the chick stage, the dominant side can be identified. This motor asymmetry can even affect object grasping, toy selection, and learning style in later stages.
Touching Feathers During the Juvenile Stage Determines Physical Contact Tolerance in Later Life
The frequency with which you touch chicks whose feathers are just beginning to grow is directly related to their “cuddling” behavior in later life. Young birds that are constantly exposed to gentle touch tend to enjoy being held and having their heads rubbed as adults. In contrast, young birds that become accustomed to cold objects develop more independent personalities.
Young Birds That Are Frequently Turned Upside Down Become Playful and Curious
Some experts suggest that parrots that are gently placed on their backs and played with as chicks interact more with objects and show greater interest in problem-solving games. This position enhances feelings of trust while also contributing to the development of individuals who are open to exploration.
African Greys Raised with Multiple Chicks at the Same Time May Be Less Talkative
Interestingly, when several chicks are raised together in the same home, parrots prefer to communicate with each other socially and tend to communicate with body language rather than by talking to humans. While this does not diminish their ability to speak, it may reduce the frequency with which they do so.
Interest in Colorful Toys During the Juvenile Stage Influences Future Intelligence Games
The color, shape, and movement of toys provided to young parrots affect their attention spans. They have been observed to respond more strongly to yellow and blue colors. This could determine which colored objects they will find easier to distinguish and analyze in the future.