His death has been reported in the New York Times; an internet condolence book has been set up in his memory. So what made Alex the parrot so special – and so controversial? Stephen Moss reports.
America is in mourning. Alex, the African Grey parrot who was smarter than the average US president, has died at the relatively tender age of 31. He could count to six, identify colors, understand concepts such as bigger and smaller, and had a vocabulary of 150 words. To his supporters he was proof that the phrase “bird brain” should be expunged from the dictionary.
America is in mourning. Alex, the African Grey parrot who was smarter than the average US president, has died at the relatively tender age of 31. He could count to six, identify colors, understand concepts such as bigger and smaller, and had a vocabulary of 150 words. To his supporters he was proof that the phrase “bird brain” should be expunged from the dictionary.