What an amazing idea, he's smart

African Grey parrots are the most heavily studied species of pet birds and have demonstrated a very high level of intelligence. One of the most famous African Greys was named Alex but he passed away in 2007 at the young age of 31 years. He was purchased from a pet store at the age of one year by a doctoral student at the time, Dr. Pepperberg, who cared for him and studied him his entire life.1

Up until Alex, most research on avian intelligence was done using pigeons and needless to say, was disappointing. Alex changed people's thoughts on what a bird was capable of learning.1 Over the years and up until his death, Alex learned over 100 English words and was thought to have the intelligence level of a five-year-old when he passed away.

Critics of Alex's studies argue he may have simply been a product of operant conditioning and not true understanding but even if it was simply a trained response, Alex's abilities far surpass anything most pet birds have been able to achieve. Because of Alex, African Grey parrots now have a reputation for being quite smart birds and need constant mental stimulation