I am a Congo African Grey Parrot. (Psittacus erithacus) In the wild, I can be found in the rain forests of West and Central Africa.

Einstein was hatched on 6/15/97. You can do the math.

For 17 1/2 years we didn’t know for sure. African Grey Parrots are monomorphic, meaning that the male and females look the same. We assigned the name Einstein when Einstein was just 3 months old because we liked the name. When we took Einstein in for a baby bird checkup with an avian vet, he told us that you can only determine the sex of an African Grey through DNA testing. From the physical examination, he was 90% sure Einstein was a girl. Then in December of 2014 we decided it was time to really find out. We took “her” to the vet and later discovered “she” was a BOY! You can read all about the discovery on the blog post, Einstein’s Sex Change.

African Grey parrots have a reputation for being very smart. Jeff, picked the name Einstein after the man Albert Einstein. At the time we named him, we didn’t know that many other people name their parrots Einstein too! We much know of at least 10 other parrots named Einstein. Often people get confused and think Einstein is the parrot who was on the Animal Planet TV show. He is not, please visit the blog post, The Name Game for more details.

Einstein first started talking when he was 17 months old. His first words were "Gobble-Gobble-Gobble!" at Thanksgiving in 1998. Grace was being said at our Thanksgiving table in the dining room; then all of a sudden, we heard a very loud "Gobble-Gobble-Gobble!" coming from the kitchen. Naturally, the outburst of laughter from my family and friends was tremendous, and very soon he started repeating many other words and sounds we had taught him. It was as if he had been saving all these words in his brain, and the floodgates opened, pouring out all these words.

Yes, he stops to eat, to sleep, to play, and when he doesn't feel like it. He always seems to want to talk when we want to take a nap, when we are on the telephone, or during our favorite TV program. There's nothing we can do about it! He loves to talk, and we wouldn't have it any other way!

We use no tapes or CDs when training Einstein. We simply talk to him. We talk to Einstein like a member of the family. If we are home, he is out of his cage. He is either perched on us or on a nearby perch. A bird learns speech from other birds, not tapes, TV, etc. We are his other "birds". However, he does react to sounds on the TV. For example, when a telephone rings on TV, he sometimes will say, "Hello".

I have two methods when teaching Einstein things to say. For songs, I dance. Yes, I know it's silly, but here is the reason. Birds will display for each other in the wild. They do tricks and spread their feathers out and do all kinds of crazy things. Well, I do the same thing. When I taught him "Who Let the Dogs Out," I sang the song while bouncing my head and upper body just like the group that recorded the song. For teaching "Shake your Bootie"... well, you can only imagine what I shook! :) When I taught him how to count, I gave him white index cards with the number written on each one. I'd let him take it from me in his beak, and he would bite the card and drop it. Then, I would go to the next number and so on. I do not know why he skips "2" and "7." We are working on that, but I think he has decided they are not worthy of learning! I've done the same thing with colors. I’d give him a blue toy, and I say, "BLUE," he takes it from me and drops it. He can say, "red," "blue," "green," "purple," and "orange". Most all words he has learned on his own. He learns by listening to us.

Also, when Einstein is learning a new word, the new word is usually not perfect. However, I know he is working on learning something new. So I listen. When he says the new sound, I try to figure out what it is. Just as if he were a 2-year-old child learning to talk. For example: "squirrel" was not perfect the first time out of his beak. The first sound we heard was "squ," then it was "squel," then I figured out he was trying to say "squirrel," so I started saying squirrel often. I also associated a sound to it as a squirrel would make. He loved it! Now, he will ask, "What's a squirrel?" and we answer with a "chik-chik-chik" sound.

Many people have commented about how clearly Einstein speaks. We have always talked very clearly and never used "baby talk." I believe that has made a difference. Texans speak slower too! That might be another reason! We also have to be careful what we say, and we DO NOT use curse words or foul language in our household.

Here is very good resource, Train Your Parrot To Talk by Barbara Heidenreich of Good Bird Inc. It demonstrates proven methods for encouraging your parrot to vocalize and how to train your parrot to talk on cue. Bonus! Einstein, Jeff, and Marcia are featured in the video!

He loves any nuts like Texas pecans, almonds, pistachios, and walnuts! (Only in moderation)

Anything we are eating! He is a big mooch!

Einstein eats a diet of fresh vegetables, cooked and sprouted grains, beans, and lentils. Additionally, he consumes some fruits, nuts, and healthy seeds (such as flax, hemp, pumpkin, and chia). Whenever possible, I purchase organic food for him. Occasionally, he is fed some animal-based protein, particularly chicken, salmon, and a piece of hard-boiled egg, which he loves. Moreover, he enjoys sampling a small portion of our dinner, provided it is safe for him. He has a fondness for lasagna and spicy foods. Additionally, he is given pelleted parrot food.

Parrots should not be given anything high in fat, sugar, or sodium. Some foods are toxic to parrots, such as caffeine, chocolate, and avocados, to name a few, and should always be avoided. Parrots should not be fed a diet solely consisting of sunflower seeds and peanuts. This type of diet is high in fat and low in nutrition, leading to malnutrition and health problems for your parrot. It's essential to conduct research on the web to find a healthy diet for your parrot.

Einstein loves to perch on the various perches we have in our home. He also enjoys perching and talking on top of the shower, as well as on cabinet drawers that we provide for him. Many videos of Einstein in our home are available on social media for you to enjoy watching.

Yes! Einstein hates rugs! He will growl at the rug in front og the kitchen sink and the one in the bathroom if it is moved or picked up. Watch thse video, Einstein Growls when the Kitchen Rug is picked up. Watch the video when he gets even with it! Einstein Gets Even with the Kitchen Rug!

Watch these videos: Who knew Einstein could be so grumpy? and Einstein Ferociously growls at the kitchen rug.

To clip or not to clip is a controversial topic, and one should consider the pros and cons of the decision before making a choice that is in the best interest of the parrot and your lifestyle. Einstein's wings are currently not clipped, but we have clipped them in the past.

Einstein is potty trained. Potty training a parrot has become a controversial subject. Some believe that if a parrot is potty trained, the bird may hold waste longer than necessary, potentially leading to medical issues. While Einstein will go potty when we say "Bombs Away," he may also go whenever and wherever he wants, even without the command. Please discuss the decision to potty train with your avian vet.

Einstein understands much of what he says. For example, he may notice me collecting garbage, and he’ll say, “Take out the garbage!” Or, when he says, “Wanna come see you,” he really does want to get picked up. He will ask for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the applicable time of the day. He has also asked for a drink of water. He says "Good morning" only in the morning and "Night" only at night. He might see me go in and out the door and will ask, "Gonna go outside?" Often, I know he knows what he is saying. However, when he talks randomly, I think he is just doing what birds like to do, and that’s… make noise, whether it's chirps or words. I think he is just vocalizing what comes naturally - what he has learned.

Dr. Irene Pepperberg wrote the book "The Alex Studies: Cognitive and Communicative Abilities of Grey Parrots," and she continues to research animal intelligence. Go to The Alex Foundation for more information.

Einstein learned to wave by imitation. Every morning when my husband left the house for work, I would do an exaggerated wave: I waved my hand and forearm very fast, side to side, and said "Bye-bye." Also, I would do the same to Einstein when I left the house. It took a couple of years, but eventually, he imitated the wave by raising his foot and shaking his body. We laughed and waved back. This positive reinforcement took hold. We never set out to train this behavior; it just happened. Now he does it often. Here is a short video of him waving and saying 'wave' repeatedly!

All parrots can and do bite. Einstein is, and always will be, a wild bird at heart, retaining all the instincts of its wild counterparts. When provoked or frightened, it's a natural response for a bird to bite. However, the responsibility of avoiding bites lies with the handler. Understanding the signs of the bird's body language is crucial, as there are often quick, subtle changes that occur right before a bird bites. Building trust and attentively observing body language are key to avoiding bites. When Einstein does bite, it's always because we failed to pay attention!

Learn more about Einstein's feather-picking issues.

We have no plans to breed Einstein for several reasons. First and foremost, there are so many parrots in rescue, and the overpopulation of parrot rescues and sanctuaries is a real problem. I do not support breeding and instead encourage people to adopt and rehome these birds, as there are many in need of loving forever homes.

Secondly, African Grey Parrots, like many parrot species, form strong pair bonds with a mate. However, simply putting two different genders of African Grey parrots together does not automatically guarantee that they will become a breeding pair. It is not like breeding dogs or cats. For a breeding pair to form, the parrots must first establish a bond and then be in the appropriate physical and hormonal condition for breeding. Sometimes this bond can take years to form, and sometimes it never forms, or the parrots become aggressive toward each other.

Finally, proper breeding conditions, such as a suitable nesting area, must be provided. All conditions must be perfect for the couple, including the amount of light, temperature, etc. If a bond does occur, you lose the companionship quality with your parrot as it is now bonded with another parrot. If and when the chicks do arrive, the breeder must know how to properly take care of and hand-feed the chicks. This is not an easy task, as feedings are done around the clock with complicated and controlled procedures. The hen's health must also be taken into consideration, as the egg-laying process is extremely hard on her. Calcium deficiencies must be replaced, and egg binding is also a possibility, which can be fatal.