Poicephalus senegalus
Senegal Parrot
Senegal parrots pack much of the intelligence and longevity of larger parrots into a smaller, quieter, more apartment-friendly body, but they still need a multi-decade commitment and confident, consistent handling.
PsittacidaeLifespan 25–35 yearsCare complexity 4/5Not a beginner animal
At a glance
- Scientific name
- Poicephalus senegalus
- Family
- Psittacidae
- Origin
- Savannah woodland of West Africa
- Lifespan
- 25–35 years
- Adult size
- 23 cm
- Weight
- 120–170 g
- Temperament
- Quietly confident, one-person bonding, can be nippy during hormonal periods
- Activity level
- Moderate; enjoys climbing and toy destruction over sustained flight
- Social needs
- High but less demanding than larger cockatoos; tolerates short alone periods better
- Intelligence
- High; learns tricks and some words, solves foraging puzzles readily
- Noise
- Moderate; capable of loud calls but generally quieter than larger parrots
Housing and environment
- Housing
- Cage at least 60 x 60 x 90 cm with varied perch diameters and destructible toys
- Space requirement
- Room for a full cage plus a safe out-of-cage play area
- Temperature
- 18–27°C, away from draughts
- Humidity
- 40–60%
- Exercise
- One to two hours of supervised out-of-cage time daily
- Grooming
- Occasional bathing or misting, nail and beak checks
Diet and feeding
Formulated pellet base with vegetables, limited fruit and seed as occasional treats, no avocado or chocolate
Behaviour and compatibility
Beak grinding when content, wing flipping displays, strong chewing drive, mood-dependent nipping
- With children
- Reasonable with older, calm children who understand bite risk and body language
- With other animals
- Best kept away from cats, dogs and unfamiliar birds
- Training difficulty
- Low to moderate with consistent reward-based handling
Health
- Feather-destructive behaviour
- Psittacine beak and feather disease
- Obesity from seed-heavy diets
- Vitamin A deficiency on poor diets
Needs an avian-experienced vet for annual exams and diet review
Special care requirements
Prone to strong single-person attachment, so all household members should share handling from an early age