My friend Ruby the African Grey Parrot is the smartest bird in the world. Well, at least she thinks that she is. Dad says that African Greys are geniuses. They understand what they are saying and can even put ideas and sentences together. Some birds simply repeat words that they hear just to get attention, but Ruby and her relatives can ask for things and tell humans what they feel and think. Dad even says that some African Grey Parrots are smarter than some monkeys. But I’m sure he wasn’t talking about me!
I think Ruby is definitely smart, but she’s also kind of a party pooper. I mean, many of my exotic animal friends here at Animal Rentals are much more fun. I like to run and jump and get excited about everything. Piwackett the Scarlet Macaw likes to talk and yell and dance. Sahara the Fennec Fox likes to chase the ball and roll around and wrestle. But Ruby thinks it is silly to be loud and wild and spend too much time playing. All she likes to do is learn and think. She says that is that is called being an intellectual. Ruby likes to use big words that most of the rest of us don’t understand. I say that is called being annoying! Ha!
Even though Ruby doesn’t play much, she can actually still be fun to be around. She teaches us new words sometimes, and she once made up a trick that is really funny…she does an impersonation of a Thanksgiving turkey where she lies perfectly still on her back – like she is going to be served for dinner. She can lay there without moving for a really long time! She still does that trick, and the people that meet Ruby at our Animal Shows or College Entertainment events love it.
So who do you think is smarter, monkeys or African Grey Parrots? You know what my vote is! What is the smartest animal you’ve ever met? What kinds of things did they do to make you think they were so smart? What kind of animal do your friends think is the smartest? Let us know in the comments below!
