PARROT INTELLIGENCE: DR. PEPPERBERG with AFRICAN GREYS GRIFFIN, ALEX & EINSTEIN

BIRD BRAINIAC - EXTRAORDINARY ANIMALS -
ANIMAL PLANET SPECIAL - Air Date: 7/5/2008:

Meet Congo African Grey, GRIFFIN, who has succeeded ALEX in helping Dr. Irene PEPPERBERG of Brandeis University in Waltham, MA, prove that Parrots are sensitive, intelligent, thinking, feeling creatures!

FOOTAGE of ALEX from 7:28 to 9:20.
{Alex passed away Sept. 6, 2007...RIP...}

THIS IS A PRODUCTION BY THE BBC --
See Full Article Here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/s...

NARRATED BY: William Shatner

For more info, visit THE ALEX FOUNDATION
(where you can also watch the FULL 22-Minute Video): http://www.alexfoundation.org/griffin...

Also making an appearance is famous African Grey, EINSTEIN, together with Stephenie White from the Knoxville Zoo in Tennessee.

Visit the Knoxville Zoo's Website for more information on Einstein and AFRICAN GREY PARROTS:
http://www.knoxville-zoo.org/einstein...

You can watch a video of EINSTEIN performing at the Zoo's YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/knoxville...

And please remember...'DON'T BUY, DON'T BREED, ADOPT A PARROT IN NEED!'

• Category

  Pets & Animals

[hypnosiscenter nyc]

For 28 years, my African Grey Angel, was my friend and always loving companion. Where as most Greys are known to bond to one person, Angel was just as friendly throwing kisses. Last night at 10:30 I played with her for the last time. An hour later, she was on the bottom of her cage, still warm, eyes open. I will never forget. I will never forget the friendship. I carried her down to the Hudson River (NYC), wrapped in a warm shirt and let the tides take her to her final resting. Miss her soooo!

[wildlifeguardian]

Oh, how I know that pain that tears your heart and soul apart -- I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend.  May her spirit soar happily thru the heavens! My deepest sympathy...

[wownaxxius]

If I get a African Grey, is it okay to let him out of the cage on the first day or not?

[wildlifeguardian]

Not if the bird is an adult -- he/she needs to get used to his environment first by observing it from the safety of his cage. Once he feels secure and trusts you, you can start opening the door and supervise his movements carefully. Ideally, you would have taught him to "step up" by then, so YOU are taking HIM out of the cage which will make it easier to get him back in...

[Horselanddream901lol]

So Alex died of old age am I right.

[wildlifeguardian]

No, he did not -- African Greys have a life expectancy of 65+

[Glynnis Hanna]

I think as the scientist conducting the study and as the author of the book Dr.Pepperburg has a vested interest in certain point of view.I have 23 years of experience with exotic birds and I can tell you these birds are NOT happy.The degree of feather self mutilation amounts is akin to people who are cutting themselves.If your child was cutting himself would you go on with"buisiness as usual"?And here she has TWO plucking birds-and she's justified the study"in the name of science".

[Regal290]

She isn't smacking his beak... She's giving him the things that he ASKED for. Literally, he asks for something to shred and she gives it to him. As for the training being repetitive, ok, sure. What YOU miss is that the training isn't the only thing that goes on all day every day. The birds GET time to rest. they GET time to interact with the students in the lab. They ASK for stuff and they get it.

Also, if you think Dr. Pepperburg is a bitch, then why are you training your birds as well?

[hummerh3md]

Beautiful bird, would love to have one some day.

[Kumari Karandawala]

I can, unfortunately, see poor Griffin going the same route Alex did. He is already picking his feathers out of nervous anxiety. Birds, and most animals have a keen intelligence; if they are primal. Subjecting them to learning the human language and seeing how it goes is not benefitting Griffin. It certainly did not benefit Alex. What Griffin needs is LOVE, not to be laboratory rat. And that is what he is right now. God , how is it possible that scientists are so stupid?!

[Ryan Grabowski]

wow



[DAILL2DEF]

They think it was hardening of the arteries, and a sudden fatal event that occurred from it. Was supposed to be sudden and painless for the bird, but not something that showed any clear signs prior to death

[wildlifeguardian]

Please stop breeding parrots -- too many are lingering in rescues...homeless and unwanted after people get tired of them !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dorkus89Malorkus]

I'd totally get a bird if I didn't travel this much for work.