At C.A.Gs, Mark & Teri Benjamin have hand-raised captive-bred Congo and Timneh African Greys since 2014. Every Grey is DNA-sexed, avian-vet certified, and placed with full CITES Appendix I documentation — never wild-caught, always with lifetime breeder support.
The short version
Mark & Teri Benjamin hand-raise every Congo and Timneh African Grey in their Midland, Texas home.
Each of our Greys is hatched in the USA with full CITES Appendix I documentation — never wild-caught.
Each Grey ships with a DNA sex certificate and an avian-veterinarian health certificate.
Timneh Greys from $1,500 and Congos from $1,700 — no $400 bait listings, ever.
African Greys live for decades, so we back every Grey with support for its whole life.
C.A.Gs holds a USDA Animal Welfare Act license you can verify before you pay anything.
Birds travel safely to your nearest major airport in a USDA-approved travel crate.
Send an inquiry and hear back from Mark or Teri within one business day.
Mark & Teri Benjamin · Est. 2014
Meet the Breeders
We started raising African Greys in our Midland, Texas home in 2014 — because we could not stand how many were sold sick, undocumented, or shipped from people the buyer would never meet. So C.A.Gs became the opposite: every chick is hand-fed inside our home, never warehoused in a back-room facility.
Every Grey we raise is DNA-sexed, examined by an avian veterinarian, closed-banded, and CITES Appendix I documented before it leaves us — and you hold that paperwork before any money changes hands. A decade on, the principle is unchanged: raise fewer birds, raise them right, and stay reachable long after pickup.
— Mark & Teri Benjamin, C.A.Gs
Verified Buyer Review
"I searched for African Grey parrots for sale near me for months before finding C.A.Gs. Their birds are truly top-notch! My African Grey is affectionate, intelligent, and already picking up words. The shipping process was seamless, and they included a health guarantee."
This Week's Aviary
Every Congo and Timneh African Grey we hand-feed here at C.A.Gs is PCR DNA-sexed, screened for PBFD, Polyomavirus, and psittacosis, CITES Appendix I-documented, and fully weaned at 12–16 weeks — these are real birds we are raising right now, including our baby African Greys for sale, with real availability and no waitlist tricks or bait listings.
Baby Boy Midland, TX
Male · 4 mo · Congo African Grey
"Energetic, curious, and impossible to ignore."
Hand-raised male, 4 months old. Thrives in a lively home where there's always something to watch.
Ships nationwide · $185 airport · $350 home
New Arrival Midland, TX
Female · 3 mo · Congo African Grey
"She mimics your laugh before you finish it."
Premium hand-raised female, 3 months old. Full social training. Responds to her name already.
Ships nationwide · $185 airport · $350 home
Best Value Midland, TX
Female · 1 yr · Congo African Grey
"Gentle, easy, and the bird first-time owners dream of."
Soft temperament, easy to handle. 1-year-old female — personality fully developed, ready to bond.
Ships nationwide · $185 airport · $350 home
Must-Go Pair Midland, TX
Pair · 4–6 mo · Congo African Grey
"Two birds, one bond. They go together — and so do you."
Unrelated pair, must be adopted together. Jins (male, 6mo) + Jeni (female, 4mo). Both hand-raised with full social training.
Ships nationwide · $185 airport · $350 home
Timneh Midland, TX
Male · 5 mo · Timneh African Grey
"Smaller bird. Bigger personality than you expected."
Hand-raised male Timneh African Grey, 5 months old. Full social training. Ready to go home.
Ships nationwide · $185 airport · $350 home
Timneh Midland, TX
Female · 6 mo · Timneh African Grey
"Calm, clever, and ready to come home."
Hand-raised female Timneh African Grey, 6 months old. Full social training. Gentle and sociable.
Ships nationwide · $185 airport · $350 home
No birds match that filter right now — ask about upcoming clutches →
Beyond Single Birds
Whether you incubate your own clutch or want a proven, DNA-sexed pair for your own aviary, we place both here at C.A.Gs — with the same CITES Appendix I documentation we put behind every hand-fed baby.
Candled, fertility-checked Congo & Timneh eggs — $95 each, free US shipping on 5+.
View fertile eggs →
Every African Grey breeding pair for sale is bonded, DNA-sexed, and proven ($3,000) — for serious aviculturists.
View breeding pairs →Congo African Grey · Psittacus erithacus
Decades of documented cognition research made the Congo African Grey the bird people picture when they hear "the smartest parrot in the world." At C.A.Gs in Midland, TX, every Congo African Grey we place is a hand-raised African Grey fed from the nest box, DNA-sexed, and CITES Appendix I documented — the proof behind the reputation.
The Congo African Grey (Psittacus erithacus) is the larger of the two African Grey species — 400–600 grams, a brilliant scarlet tail, and a silver-scalloped grey body. Congos are extraordinary mimics with documented vocabularies of hundreds of words, and they bond deeply with their family. Ours are hand-raised in our Midland, Texas home, DNA-sexed, and CITES Appendix I documented.
"A Congo Grey doesn't just mimic words — it learns when to use them."Shop Congo Greys →
Field guides like the World Parrot Trust species profile describe the Congo exactly as buyers first see it: a dove-grey body with delicate white scalloping, an all-black beak, and the striking scarlet tail that sets it apart from every other parrot. Adults weigh roughly 400–600 grams and measure about 12–14 inches — the larger of the two African Grey species, and the one with the clearest, most human-sounding voice in the parrot world.
Temperament is where the Congo earns its reputation as a sensitive bird. Because Congos read household mood closely and often bond hardest with one or two people, they thrive in calmer, attentive homes — the same routine and patience covered in our African Grey care guide is what turns that sensitivity into a decades-long conversation. Pricing reflects that ethical, hand-raised start, and our full African Grey price breakdown shows exactly what each documented bird includes.
Psittacus erithacus is the formal binomial for the Congo African Grey — taxonomically it sits in the order Psittaciformes, family Psittacidae — native to the rainforests of West and Central Africa and listed on CITES Appendix I as a protected species. Every Congo we place is U.S. captive-bred and never wild-caught.
Timneh African Grey · Psittacus timneh
Once treated as a Congo sub-type, the Timneh is now recognized as a full species with its own steadier temperament. For many families, every Timneh African Grey we hand-raise at C.A.Gs is the gentler, first-timer-friendly path into the world of Greys.
The Timneh African Grey (Psittacus timneh) is the smaller of the two African Grey species — 275–375 grams, a maroon tail, and a horn-colored upper beak. Timnehs tend to be calmer and less prone to nervous behavior than Congos, and they often start talking earlier — which makes them an excellent first African Grey. Like our Congos, every Timneh is captive-bred, DNA-sexed, and fully documented.
Often called the "underrated Grey," the Timneh is smaller and darker than the Congo — 275–375 grams, a charcoal-grey body, a deep maroon tail, and a distinctive horn-colored patch on the upper beak. Anyone weighing a Congo African Grey against a Timneh is really choosing between two temperaments, not two levels of intelligence.
What makes Timnehs special for many families is their steadier temperament: organizations such as the World Parrot Trust's grey parrot encyclopedia note they are less reactive to change and frequently begin talking earlier than Congos — often by four to six months. They are every bit as clever; they simply wear it more calmly, which is why we recommend the Timneh so often to first-time owners and active households. Pricing sits a step below the Congo, and our full African Grey pricing guide explains why. Like our Congos, every Timneh is hand-raised, DNA-sexed, vet-checked, and CITES Appendix I documented.
Psittacus timneh is the Timneh African Grey's own species name — split from the Congo (Psittacus erithacus) as a distinct full species, recognized by major taxonomic authorities such as BirdLife International and the IOC — and native to the western edge of the Greys' range. Both species share CITES Appendix I protection, and every Timneh we place is U.S. captive-bred, never wild-caught.
Compare Variants
Here at C.A.Gs we hand-raise both, and neither is "better" — the Congo is the bolder, more headline talker, while the Timneh is calmer and tends to start talking earlier, so the right one comes down to your home and your experience. Below we put our two Greys side by side, so you can see exactly which one we would help you bring home.
| Feature |  Congo African Grey The classic, dramatic talker |  Timneh African Grey Calmer, earlier to bond |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Psittacus erithacus | Psittacus timneh |
| Size | 12–14 in · 400–600 g | 9–11 in · 275–375 g |
| Tail color | Scarlet red | Maroon / dark crimson |
| Lifespan | 40–60 years | 40–60 years |
| Talking ability | ★★★★★ exceptional | ★★★★☆ excellent, earlier |
| Talking onset | ~12 months | ~4–6 months (earlier) |
| Temperament | Confident, dramatic | Calmer, steadier |
| Best for | Experienced owners | First-time owners |
| Price (from C.A.Gs) | $1,700–$2,500 | $1,500–$1,600 |
| Available now | Roys · Amie · Bery · Jins/Jeni | Elad · Evie |
| PCR DNA sexed | Yes | Yes |
| CITES docs | Appendix I, captive-bred | Appendix I, captive-bred |
Our full Congo vs Timneh African Grey comparison goes deeper than the table — temperament, talking onset, noise, and which of our two Greys we would match to your home.
DNA-Sexed at C.A.Gs
In our experience hand-raising both, the sex of an African Grey matters far less than most buyers expect — our full guide to male vs female African Grey parrots walks through all eight differences, but the short version is that a bird's upbringing shapes temperament far more than its sex, and because every African Grey we place is PCR DNA-sexed you always know exactly which you are bringing home.
| What buyers ask about | Male African Grey | Female African Grey |
|---|---|---|
| Talking & mimicry | Often a touch more talkative and a bolder mimic | Slightly quieter, but still an excellent talker |
| Temperament | Confident; can be territorial or dominant, especially in breeding season | Typically gentler and more even, though it can be moody at times |
| Bonding style | Outgoing — often bonds with the whole household | May bond closely with one person; can be reserved with strangers |
| Telling them apart | African Greys are sexually monomorphic — males and females look identical — so PCR-based DNA sexing from a feather or blood sample, not invasive surgical sexing, is the only certain method. It is included with every C.A.Gs bird. | |
Honestly, the "better" sex is the one whose personality fits your home — a quieter female African Grey may suit a calm apartment, while a bold male African Grey thrives in a busy family. Tell Mark & Teri what you are looking for and they will match you with the right hand-raised bird; you can compare male and female African Greys in full here or ask C.A.Gs which DNA-sexed Greys are available now.
Beyond the Two Greys
Widely considered the most cognitively gifted companion parrot, the African Grey is the one most families ask us about — and we point them to our full African Grey comparison hub to weigh it against the other big talkers. Here is how the Grey we raise stacks up.
| Species | Talking ability | Noise level | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| African Grey | Exceptional — context-aware speech | Moderate | Owners wanting the smartest, most verbal companion |
| Macaw | Good, but fewer words | Very loud | Experienced owners with space and tolerance for volume |
| Cockatoo | Limited speech | Very loud | Cuddle-seekers who can meet high attention needs |
| Amazon | Strong talker & singer | Loud | Owners who want a bold, outgoing personality |
For most buyers choosing their first larger parrot, the African Grey wins on the two factors that matter most in a real home: how much the bird can genuinely communicate, and how manageable its noise is day to day. Our African Grey vs Macaw and African Grey vs Cockatoo breakdowns show why their volume and attention needs put those two out of reach for many households, while our African Grey vs Amazon comparison weighs the Grey against its closest talking rival. The Grey delivers the talking, the problem-solving, and the bond — at a noise level a typical family can live with.
Of the big four, the African Grey is the most apartment-friendly: it whistles, mimics, and chatters far more than it screams, where a macaw or cockatoo can carry a flock call across a city block.
For close neighbours, a Timneh African Grey tends to be the quietest, gentlest option of all.
Why Families Choose C.A.Gs
Verifiable at the USDA APHIS Animal Welfare portal, our Animal Welfare Act license is the first thing we hand a buyer — because at C.A.Gs in Midland, TX, paperwork comes before the bird, not after. Mark & Teri Benjamin have hand-reared captive-bred Congo and Timneh Greys here since 2014 — among the few USDA-licensed African Grey parrot breeders in Texas who hand you the documents before the deposit. The reviews from those families below are the proof behind that promise.
Every African Grey we place is hand-reared inside our Midland, Texas home, never a commercial warehouse — and every one of our Greys leaves with the receipts that prove it. You get a verifiable USDA Animal Welfare Act license number, CITES Appendix I captive-bred documentation, a PCR-based DNA sexing certificate, a board-certified avian-veterinarian health certificate backed by PBFD, Polyomavirus, and psittacosis screening, a hatch certificate, and a closed band number. U.S. captive-bred, never wild-caught — and we put it all in your hands before any money moves.
"We hand you the paperwork before the wire — because a real breeder has nothing to hide and everything to prove."Ask About Credentials → →
Conservation groups such as the World Parrot Trust are clear that since the African Grey was moved to CITES Appendix I, the only ethical bird is a documented, captive-bred one — and a closed band plus a hatch certificate is how you prove a chick was raised in an aviary rather than taken from the wild. Our full breeder story, including how we hand-feed and socialize every clutch, lives on the C.A.Gs about page.
Pricing reflects that ethical, hand-reared start rather than a bargain-bin shortcut, and our African Grey price breakdown shows exactly what each documented bird includes — from the DNA certificate to the avian-vet exam. When a Grey costs far less than that, the savings come out of the bird's health or its paperwork, and usually both.
New clutch alerts
Sign up for African Grey availability updates and reserve a hand-fed Congo or Timneh chick before we list it publicly.
Verify Before You Pay
Walking through our guide to avoiding African Grey scams first, then cross-checking a seller against a list of trusted African Grey breeders, is the fastest way to separate a real aviary from a stolen-photo storefront — the side-by-side below shows exactly what changes between the two.
Too cheap for a healthy, captive-bred Grey. Hook for a scam.
Untraceable methods you can't dispute.
Can't or won't provide a verifiable license #.
"Camera broken" — every time.
Reflects real captive breeding and vet work.
Credit card, PayPal Goods, bank wire — protections apply.
Verifiable on aphis.usda.gov.
Will show the bird in real time, on demand.
Buyers who search “is congoafricangreys.com legit?” get the same answer every time — verify us before you pay. Reaching out through our contact page before you commit costs nothing and answers every red flag at once: we hand over our USDA Animal Welfare Act license number for you to verify independently, show the CITES Appendix I captive-bred paperwork that proves the bird was never wild-caught, and offer a live video call to put your specific Grey on camera with the day's date in frame.
A verifiable physical location here in Midland, Texas, reversible payment methods such as a credit card, PayPal Goods, or a bank wire, and a written health guarantee are the baseline of a legitimate breeder — not extras, and our side-by-side look at how C.A.Gs compares to other African Grey breeders walks through each of those checks. The scammer's whole model depends on untraceable payment and a camera that is conveniently always broken; the moment a seller can't or won't meet those checks, that is your answer. The pattern even has names — advance-fee and non-delivery fraud — and you can short-circuit it in minutes: run a seller's listing photos through a reverse image search (Google Lens or TinEye) to expose stolen stock images, and report any loss to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and the FTC.
"I ordered a Congo African Grey from C.A.Gs and the experience was flawless. My parrot is healthy, friendly, and well-trained. Watching it grow and bond with my family has been an absolute joy. I recommend C.A.Gs to anyone looking for a quality African Grey."
The Species, Origin & Intelligence
Native to the rainforests of West and Central Africa, the African Grey — also spelled African Gray, and known as the Jaco (or Jako) parrot — is intensely social, wary, and famously intelligent; wild populations are now classified Endangered (Congo) and Vulnerable (Timneh) on the IUCN Red List — a decline documented in the World Parrot Trust's grey parrot species profile and tracked by other conservation groups for decades. Both species we hand-rear, the Congo (Psittacus erithacus) and the Timneh (Psittacus timneh), trace to that lineage, and our full African Grey guide covers it in depth — every Grey we raise is U.S. captive-bred, never wild-caught.
A thirty-year study by Dr. Irene Pepperberg of a Congo Grey named Alex reset what science believed a bird could think; cognitive scientists now compare a Grey's reasoning to that of a four- to six-year-old child. It is the reason the African Grey is called the smartest companion parrot on earth.
You can hear a small, everyday echo of that intelligence in our own aviary: our Congo Maxy — talking in the video further down this page — is one of the hand-raised Greys we have learning and repeating words right now, the same capacity for a decades-long conversation that every C.A.Gs Grey we place carries.
Every African Grey from C.A.Gs – Midland, TX is examined by a board-certified avian veterinarian — including PBFD, Polyomavirus, and psittacosis (Chlamydia psittaci) screening — and ships with a health certificate dated within 10 days of travel, plus a 3-day health guarantee in writing, a PCR DNA sexing certificate, and CITES Appendix I captive-bred paperwork. We send your bird home on the exact diet it is already eating — the same calcium-supported, pellet-based plan covered in our best African Grey parrot food guide — and Mark & Teri stay on the phone for lifetime breeder support long after pickup.
See our health guarantee → →Every one of our African Greys for sale comes with a written health guarantee, and diet is the foundation of that promise — which is why we coach every new owner through the calcium-supported, pellet-based plan in our African Grey pellet food & diet guide before the transition home — African Greys are specifically prone to hypocalcemia, so alongside that diet we raise our Greys with UV-B lighting and vitamin D3 supplementation — the combination that lets a bird actually absorb the calcium it eats — and getting nutrition right from day one is how a healthy chick stays healthy.
Transparent Pricing
African Grey parrot prices at C.A.Gs are never just a number on a chick — the Congo African Grey price you see already includes the CITES Appendix I captive-bred paperwork, our verifiable USDA AWA license, the PCR DNA sexing certificate, and a current board-certified avian-vet health certificate, because here at C.A.Gs – Midland, TX a documented, captive-bred African Grey is the only kind we will ever sell.
| Subspecies | Adult weight | Best fit / lifestyle | Talking ability | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CONGO GREY · BABY | 400–600 g | Bond-from-day-one buyers | Exceptional · hand-raised | $2,300–$2,500 |
| CONGO GREY · ADULT | 400–600 g | Calm, established personality | Pre-developed vocabulary | $1,700 |
| TIMNEH GREY | 275–375 g | First-time owners / active families | Excellent · earlier talker | $1,500–$1,600 |
| CONGO PAIR (Jins + Jeni) | Bonded pair | Two-bird homes | Must go together | $3,500 |
| BREEDING PAIR | Proven · DNA-sexed | Established breeders | CITES-documented | $3,000 |
| FERTILE EGG | Candled | Experienced breeders | Buy 5, free US shipping | $95 / egg |
"Anyone listing a Congo African Grey under $1,500 is selling a wild-caught bird, a sick bird, or no bird at all. Real, documented, captive-bred Greys reflect the cost of ethical breeding."
What the price includes. Every C.A.Gs bird price is all-inclusive — never just the chick. Each documented Grey ships with:
A $200 deposit reserves your Grey and is applied to your final total; nationwide IATA shipping is arranged separately — $185 airport pickup or $350 home delivery.
Think in decades, not dollars. The diet, cage, and enrichment routine in our African Grey parrot care guide matter far more than the sticker price, because a healthy Grey lives 40–60 years and the purchase is the smallest line item across that lifespan. If you are comparing routes, African Grey adoption costs vary widely by rescue and waitlist, while our pricing is fixed and fully documented up front. Use the first-year cost calculator below to estimate your real startup cost — a fairly priced documented bird today is always cheaper than a "bargain" that arrives sick or undocumented.
Plan Your Purchase
African Grey parrot pricing is only the starting point — these three C.A.Gs tools let you estimate your true first-year cost, run the same CITES documentation checklist we hand every buyer, and see the shipping estimator that gets your Grey home safely.
Estimated first year
$3,835
Tick what a legitimate, captive-bred African Grey from C.A.Gs should come with:
0 / 6 verified
How your African Grey gets home from C.A.Gs:
Nationwide IATA Delivery
Buying an African Grey near you rarely means a breeder down the street — so C.A.Gs ships from our Midland, Texas home aviary to all 50 states — our full guide to buying an African Grey with nationwide shipping walks through every option — with your bird traveling in an IATA-compliant carrier alongside an avian-vet health certificate dated within 10 days of departure.
Our African Greys for sale by state and city hub maps every route we run, and we have safely placed Greys across Texas — including Dallas, Houston, and Austin — as well as California, Florida, New York, Colorado, Washington, Georgia, Virginia, Arizona, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. We coordinate every leg of the trip and your African Grey arrives at your nearest major airport calm, hydrated, and ready to meet you.
IATA Shipping Guide →
Receive your African Grey at your nearest major airport — hubs like ATL, DFW, ORD, LAX, or JFK, among 80+ nationwide — via IATA-compliant live-animal cargo on Delta, United, or American.
Prefer door-to-door? We deliver your grey directly to the home address you provide, anywhere in the continental U.S.
Our most hands-on option: a vetted pet flight nanny keeps your African Grey in-cabin — never in the cargo hold — and hands the bird to you in person. Quoted per route, since we cover the chaperone's round-trip airfare.
After Pickup
"The first week isn't about training — it's about trust." That's one of the first things Teri tells every C.A.Gs family before their Grey leaves for its new home, and it shapes everything we coach you through in the first month.
Week one — let them settle. Many first-time owners worry when their African Grey goes quiet for a few days, eating a little less and studying everything from a favorite perch. "Don't panic if your Grey acts like a little detective the first week," Teri explains. "They're incredibly intelligent — before they decide a new home is safe, they want to study everything, and everyone." Keep the cage in a calm, central room, offer the exact diet your C.A.Gs Grey is already eating, and let curiosity do the work. One recent family called Teri three days after bringing home their young Congo, worried it wasn't talking, wasn't playing much, and just sat near the cage door — her advice was simply, "Give him time. Sit nearby. Read a book. Let him watch you without pressure."
Weeks two to three — build trust. By the second week that same Congo was stepping up confidently and waiting at the cage door for the family each morning — the arc we see again and again. The bonding and step-up routine in our African Grey parrot care guide turns those first wary days into real trust: keep routines predictable, avoid overwhelming visitors, and start short, positive sessions — a favorite treat through the bars, then from your hand, then step-ups. Greys are sensitive and shut down under pressure, so reward and never punish. This is usually when the first mimicked sounds appear.
Week four and beyond — enrich and engage. Rotate foraging toys, puzzles, and safe novelty to keep that remarkable brain busy, aim for daily out-of-cage time, and book a wellness check with an avian veterinarian to establish care. Keep our number handy — Teri answers diet, behavior, and enrichment questions long after your bird comes home. As she puts it, "You're not just bringing home a pet — you're beginning a friendship that can last decades, and the first 30 days are the foundation for everything that comes after."
Verified Buyers
These C.A.Gs reviews come from verified buyers, not anonymous ratings. Every buyer we've worked with started the same way — worried about scams, unsure whether the bird would arrive healthy, and wondering if the CITES documentation would actually be in order when the crate landed. What changed the equation was the paperwork packet Teri sends home with every Grey — avian vet health certificate, CITES captive-bred record, PCR DNA sex cert, hatch certificate, and a written care plan — plus the fact that she answers follow-up questions for as long as it takes. The families below weren't sure at first either — like Richard in Winter Haven, Florida, who was hesitant to buy a bird online and now calls his Congo "the star of our family, talking and entertaining us daily."
"Affectionate, intelligent, already picking up words."
I searched for African Grey parrots for sale near me for months before finding C.A.Gs. Their birds are truly top-notch! My African Grey is affectionate, intelligent, and already picking up words. The shipping process was seamless, and they included a health guarantee.
"They made buying a bird online stress-free."
At first I was hesitant about buying a bird online, but C.A.Gs made the process stress-free. They provided detailed care instructions and my parrot arrived in perfect condition. My Congo African Grey is now the star of our family, talking and entertaining us daily.
"Healthy, friendly, and well-trained."
I ordered a Congo African Grey from C.A.Gs and the experience was flawless. My parrot is healthy, friendly, and well-trained. Watching it grow and bond with my family has been an absolute joy. I recommend C.A.Gs to anyone looking for a quality African Grey.
African Grey clutches are rare. Join our waitlist and hear about new Congo and Timneh chicks before they're listed publicly.
Care Guides & Resources
Our African Grey parrot care guide is where every new owner starts, and C.A.Gs sends a written diet and enrichment plan home with every Grey so the routine that kept your Grey healthy in our aviary carries straight into yours.
What food, cage size, enrichment, and vet care your Grey needs to thrive.
Read guide →
Pellet-first diet, safe fruits, calcium sources, and toxic foods to avoid.
Read guide →
Morning routines, out-of-cage time, step-up training, and trust-building.
Read guide →
Breeder-authored articles on health, training, CITES compliance, and habitat.
Read guide →Hear Them Talk
That's Maxy, one of our hand-raised Congo African Greys, talking at our Midland, TX home aviary — and our guide to how African Greys learn to talk covers vocabulary, timeline, and what to expect. (YouTube URL coming soon — breeder to supply.)
COMMON QUESTIONS
Yes. African Greys are protected under CITES Appendix I — the highest level of protection, applied in 2017 to restrict commercial trade and protect wild populations from poaching and habitat loss. Every one of our parrots is captive-bred in the USA, never wild-caught, and comes with full documentation: hatch certificate, band number, DNA sexing certificate, and avian-vet health certificate.
Our Congo African Greys range from $1,700 to $2,500 for individual birds, with the bonded Jins + Jeni pair at $3,500. Timneh African Greys are $1,500–$1,600. Proven breeding pairs are $3,000, and candled fertile eggs are $95 each (buy 5, free US shipping). A $200 deposit reserves your bird.
Yes. We ship IATA-compliant to all 50 states under the IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR). Your bird travels in an approved live-animal carrier with an avian-vet health certificate dated within 10 days of travel. Choose airport pickup at your nearest major airport for $185, or door-to-door home delivery for $350 — either way your Grey arrives calm, hydrated, and ready to meet you.
Each of our Greys is sexed by PCR-based DNA testing and examined by a board-certified avian veterinarian before placement, with PBFD and Polyomavirus screening as part of our health protocol. You receive the PCR DNA sexing certificate and the avian-vet health certificate with your bird.
Both are African Greys. The Congo (Psittacus erithacus) is larger (400–600g) with a bright red tail and a famous talking vocabulary. The Timneh (Psittacus timneh) is smaller (275–375g) with a maroon tail, a calmer temperament, and often starts talking earlier — a great fit for first-time owners.
The $200 deposit holds your bird and is applied to the final price. It is refundable any time before the bird ships.
African Greys live 40 to 60 years in captivity, and well-cared-for birds frequently reach the upper end of that range. Bringing one home is a multi-decade commitment — many owners name their Grey in their estate plans. We talk every buyer through that reality before placement, because a bird this intelligent thrives only in a home prepared for the long haul.
Yes — the African Grey is widely regarded as the best talking parrot in the world. Congo Greys commonly build vocabularies of several hundred words, and the famous Grey named Alex, studied for three decades by Dr. Irene Pepperberg, demonstrated that Greys can use words in context, count, identify colors and shapes, and grasp the concept of zero. Each Grey is an individual, but with daily interaction most of our Greys begin mimicking sounds and words within their first few months home.
A healthy African Grey eats a formulated pellet diet as its base, supplemented with fresh vegetables, leafy greens, and limited fruit. Healthy African Grey treats like a few nuts or a slice of apple work well for training but should stay occasional. Greys are prone to calcium deficiency (hypocalcemia), so calcium support and natural sunlight or full-spectrum light matter. Never feed avocado, chocolate, caffeine, or alcohol — all are toxic to parrots. We send every buyer home with the exact diet their bird is already eating to avoid digestive stress during the transition.
No — a single African Grey bonds deeply with its human family and does not require another bird. What it does require is daily interaction, mental enrichment, and out-of-cage time. A Grey left alone and under-stimulated can develop feather-plucking and other stress behaviors, which is why we match birds to homes that can give them attention, not just space.
It can be, with preparation. Of the two African Grey species, the Timneh tends to be calmer and less prone to nervousness, which makes it a gentler introduction for first-time Grey owners. Either way, we provide lifetime support — Teri stays on the phone with new owners through the settling-in period and well beyond.
For the right owner, the African Grey is one of the most rewarding companion birds in the world — affectionate, endlessly intelligent, and capable of genuine conversation. They are not, however, a low-maintenance pet. A Grey needs daily interaction, mental enrichment, and an owner prepared for a 40–60 year relationship. Families who understand that commitment rarely regret it.
Compared with macaws and cockatoos, African Greys are relatively quiet. They are mimics and whistlers far more than screamers, so the sound of a Grey is usually words, doorbells, and microwave beeps rather than ear-splitting calls. Most families find their noise level very manageable in a normal home.
A Grey can be alone for a normal work day if it has a large cage, foraging toys, and rotated enrichment — but it should not be isolated for long stretches every day. These are highly social birds; chronic loneliness and boredom are the leading causes of feather-plucking. Plan for real daily interaction, not just food and water.
The price reflects ethical captive breeding: months of daily hand-feeding, DNA sexing, an avian-vet exam, CITES Appendix I documentation, and a closed band — plus the fact that wild trade is now banned, so every legitimate bird is captive-bred. A listing far below our $1,500 floor is the clearest sign of a scam or a sick, undocumented bird.
Congo African Greys in particular tend to choose a favorite person, but early, consistent handling by the whole household builds a bird that is comfortable with several people. We socialize every chick with multiple handlers from day one specifically to encourage that broader confidence.
Yes. While the species is listed on CITES Appendix I — which bans commercial trade in wild-caught birds — captive-bred African Greys are legal to own and transfer domestically in the U.S. with proper documentation. Every Grey we place is U.S. captive-bred and fully documented, so your ownership is on solid legal ground.
A Congo African Grey reaches about 12–14 inches long and 400–600 grams. A Timneh is smaller — roughly 9–11 inches and 275–375 grams. Both need a cage with room to fully spread their wings and climb, plus daily out-of-cage time.
Buy a fully weaned bird — never an unweaned chick. African Greys typically wean between 12 and 16 weeks, and hand-feeding a baby is risky for inexperienced owners. Each Grey we sell is fully weaned, eating on its own, and ready to bond safely with its new family.
Behaviorally, male and female African Greys are very similar; personality is shaped far more by individual temperament and upbringing than by sex. Every Grey we sell is DNA-sexed so you know exactly what you are bringing home. If you have a preference, just tell us in your inquiry.
A real breeder can show a verifiable USDA Animal Welfare Act license, provides CITES Appendix I captive-bred paperwork, will video-call to show your specific bird on demand, accepts reversible payment (card, PayPal Goods, bank wire), and has a findable physical location. We meet every one of those tests — and we hand you the paperwork before any money moves.
Still weighing it up? Bringing one of our Greys home is a 40–60-year commitment we walk every buyer through — and if you are torn between the two species, you can compare our Congo and Timneh Greys side by side in the table above before you decide.
We'll be honest: one of our African Greys will outlive your sofa, memorize your ringtone, and judge your life choices from the top of the cage — we say that with love, and a 40–60-year commitment timeline. They are extraordinary companions, but not the right bird for every home — and if you are weighing African Grey adoption against buying from a breeder, our honest take is part of that decision too. Here is the short, unvarnished version, with a link to the full guide. If you have already decided, the Greys we have available now are just above.
There are 14 more factors in the full guide — including the ones most breeders never mention.
Read the Full Pros & Cons Guide →How to Buy
Starting a conversation with us is the only step that has to happen before any money changes hands, and from there reserving a Grey from C.A.Gs – Midland, TX — wherever you are deciding where to buy an African Grey near you — follows the same calm, documented four-step path for every family — no pressure, no surprises, just a captive-bred bird matched to a home that is ready for it.
Browsing the available birds above is where every family begins — tell us which Congo or Timneh Grey caught your eye and we will send fresh, dated photos of that exact bird and set up a live video call so you can watch it move, eat, and respond before you decide anything.
A $200 deposit holds your chosen Grey and is applied in full to the final price, so it is never an extra cost — and because we never want a family locked into the wrong bird, that deposit stays fully refundable any time before your bird's ship date.
Behind the scenes we assemble the full paper trail every legitimate bird must have: the CITES Appendix I captive-bred certificate that proves your Grey was never wild-caught, its DNA sexing certificate, and an avian-vet health certificate dated within 10 days of travel — all backed by our verifiable USDA Animal Welfare Act license.
Collecting your African Grey near you is the final step — your bird travels in an IATA-compliant live-animal carrier built to the IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR). Choose airport pickup ($185) at your nearest major airport, or door-to-door home delivery ($350) — either way your Grey arrives calm, hydrated, and ready to meet the family it is about to spend the next 40 to 60 years with.
We review every application. Expect a response within 24 hours.
Local Pickup · Free pickup in Midland, TX — call to schedule.
For the privacy and safety of our birds and family, the exact pickup address is confirmed by phone once your inquiry is verified.
Congo and Timneh African Greys, captive-bred in Midland, TX. Every Grey comes with CITES Appendix I paperwork, DNA sexing certificate, avian-vet health cert, and a written health guarantee.
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