Conservation breeding success as rescued endangered parrots hatch at Bristol Zoo Project

Three Endangered African grey parrots have hatched at Bristol Zoo Project after their parents were rescued from the illegal pet trade.

Conservation and education charity Bristol Zoological Society, which runs the zoo, took in a group of the birds at the end of 2024 after they were unable to be returned to the wild.

One of the females went on to lay eggs and following an incubation period of around a month, the three chicks successfully hatched. Keepers say the new arrivals are feeding and growing well.

The flock will soon be moving into the zoo’s newly created African Forest habitat, where they will live alongside many other highly threatened species.

Image: Grey parrots at Bristol Zoo Project 

Sheldon Wetton, Curator of Birds at Bristol Zoo Project, said: “The arrival of any new bird is wonderful, but it’s made even more special when it is a species that is so threatened in the wild. We were proud to have been able to provide a home for these parrots, which were facing an uncertain future following their rescue.

“African grey parrots are native to the rainforests of western and central Africa. Their declining numbers in the wild are mainly due to illegal hunting, habitat destruction and trafficking for the wildlife pet trade. We hope our flock at Bristol Zoo Project, including their new arrivals, will act as ambassadors for their species, helping to raise awareness of the threats they are facing.”

Among the smartest birds in the world, their intelligence and ability to mimic human speech have made African greys one of the most popular pet birds in the world, with over 1.3 million having been illegally snatched and exported within the past 40 years. Many of these do not survive the transit or trauma of the capture.

Though widely distributed, it has been confirmed the birds are present in Monte Alén National Park, where Bristol Zoological Society delivers in-field conservation work as part of its Equatorial Guinea project. As the Society’s partnerships grow in the country, its teams in the field are in a position to monitor the wildlife trade and understand the causes of hunting, to explore alternative options.

Image: Grey parrot chick at Bristol Zoo Project 

The parrots at Bristol Zoo Project are currently living off show and will soon be moved to a new aviary in African Forest, which is being built specifically for them.

Construction work is progressing well, and the new habitat will open to the public in spring 2026. It will also become home to the zoo’s existing troop of Critically Endangered western lowland gorillas, which will live alongside Endangered cherry-crowned mangabeys for the first time in a UK zoo.

Other species include Critically Endangered slender-snouted crocodiles and several extremely threatened species of West African freshwater fish, which visitors will be able to see in a special underwater viewing area.

To find out more about Bristol Zoo Project and Bristol Zoological Society’s conservation programmes across the globe, visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk.