The African Grey Parrot, an iconic species native to the rainforests of Central and West Africa, is widely celebrated for its remarkable intelligence and ability to mimic human speech. This exceptional cognitive capacity has unfortunately driven immense demand in the global exotic pet trade for decades. The intense popularity of this species has resulted in a severe decline in its wild populations. Assessing the current number of remaining individuals is complicated by the bird’s secretive nature and the sheer size of its habitat, making a precise calculation difficult.
Congo and Timneh African Greys
The term “African Grey Parrot” refers to two distinct species, which have separate geographic ranges and different population dynamics. The larger and more widely recognized is the Congo African Grey (Psittacus erithacus), which inhabits a broad swathe of Central Africa from the Ivory Coast eastward. This bird is characterized by its light silver-grey plumage and a striking, vivid cherry-red tail.
The second species is the Timneh African Grey (Psittacus timneh), which is generally smaller. The Timneh parrot has a noticeably darker charcoal-grey body, a darker maroon or brownish-red tail, and a horn-colored section on its upper beak. The Timneh’s range is restricted to the western parts of Africa, spanning from Guinea-Bissau through Sierra Leone and Liberia to the western Ivory Coast.
Current Global Population Estimates
Determining the exact number of African Grey Parrots remaining in the wild is currently impossible due to the species’ extensive, remote, and often unstable range. Scientific surveys and conservation reports paint a picture of catastrophic decline across many range states. In countries like Ghana, where the parrots were once widespread, the population has plummeted by an estimated 90 to 99 percent since the early 1990s, indicating local extinction in several areas.
The total population of both species was subject to a highly variable estimate in 2008, suggesting a range between 700,000 and 13 million birds, but this figure is acknowledged as highly uncertain and outdated. Conservation authorities have categorized both the Congo African Grey (P. erithacus) and the Timneh African Grey (P. timneh) as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
This Endangered status reflects a projected or observed rapid decline in the wild population, with estimates suggesting a potential loss of 50 to 79 percent across its range in recent decades. Although the Congo African Grey is the most widely traded, the Timneh African Grey has a smaller, more fragmented range, making its population highly vulnerable to localized threats. The lack of precise, current data across the full range means the true number is an uncertain fraction of its historical abundance.
Primary Factors Driving Population Decline
The primary cause of the dramatic decline in African Grey Parrot populations has historically been the unsustainable international pet trade. The birds’ ability to mimic sounds made them a highly sought-after commodity, leading to rampant trapping and poaching throughout their native habitats. Between 1975 and 2013, legal trade records show over 1.3 million African Greys were exported from range states. The true number of birds removed from the wild is estimated to be between 2.1 and 3.2 million due to unreported trade and high mortality.
The methods used for capture often result in injury or death, and the conditions during transport are harsh, with mortality rates averaging between 40 and 60 percent. This intensive harvesting of wild-caught adults has a devastating effect on a species that is slow to reproduce, delaying sexual maturity until three to five years of age. Targeting adult birds removes the breeding stock, crippling the population’s ability to recover naturally.
A second major factor is the widespread loss and fragmentation of the species’ forest habitat across West and Central Africa. Deforestation, driven by commercial logging and agricultural expansion, removes the tall, mature trees the parrots rely on for nesting cavities and communal roosting sites. This habitat destruction reduces available food sources and concentrates remaining populations, making them easier targets for poachers.
International Conservation Status and Protections
In an effort to stabilize the wild population, a major international legal framework has been put into place to regulate trade. In January 2017, both the Congo African Grey and the Timneh African Grey were uplisted to Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This listing provides the highest level of protection under the convention, effectively banning all commercial international trade in wild-caught individuals.
The CITES Appendix I listing represents a significant victory for conservation efforts. It requires all international trade to be non-commercial, such as for scientific research, and only permits commercial trade of birds bred in registered captive-breeding facilities. Range state governments and conservation organizations are now tasked with enforcing this prohibition to protect the remaining wild flocks.
However, the international ban does not affect domestic trade within the range countries, and illegal trafficking remains a persistent and substantial threat to the species. The success of this protection measure depends entirely on rigorous enforcement and monitoring efforts to dismantle smuggling networks.