Grey parrot

Talking: the best of any species here. Noise: often loud, with sharp alarm calls and a growl when frightened. Lifespan: commonly 40 to 50 years in captivity, and 60 is possible. The Congo grey is the bird people mean when they say a parrot can hold a conversation, and it often copies words and household sounds with uncanny accuracy. The reputation leaves out what that intelligence costs. A bored grey is prone to screaming and feather picking, so it needs daily training, foraging work and company rather than a cage and a radio. The Congo is the larger of the two greys, silver gray with a bright red tail and an all-black beak.