African grey parrot, near Kingulube village, Congo (Democratic Republic)

The photograph depicts an African grey parrot, a medium-sized parrot of the genus Psittacus, native to Africa. As the name implies, they are predominantly grey, with accents of white. Some of their feathers are very dark grey and others are a lighter grey colour. They have red or maroon tails depending on the subspecies. They feed primarily on nuts and fruits, supplemented by leafy matter. There are two subspecies: Congo African Grey parrot, Psittacus erithacus erithacus - these are larger birds (about 12 inches/30cm long) with light grey feathers, cherry red tails and black beaks. Timneh African Grey parrot, Psittacus erithacus timneh - these are smaller in size, have a darker charcoal gray coloring, a darker maroon tail, and a light, horn colored upper mandible. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for American Broadcasting Company and traveled to Africa from early December 1966 to early February 1967.