• African grays are intelligent creatures.grey parrot image by Ramona smiers from Fotolia.com
  
  The African gray parrot is a beautiful bird with a sterling gray coat of feathers that primarily lives in West and Central African rain forests. African grays are "perhaps the best mimicking parrot," according to Petco's care sheet for the animal. "They are alert, highly intelligent, gentle and affectionate. African grays have been referred to as 'the perfect mix of brains and beauty.'"
  
  

"Alex and Me" Book

• Purchase a copy of the New York Times' bestseller "Alex & Me," which is a memoir exploring Dr. Irene Pepperberg's 30-year research with an African gray parrot named Alex. Alex, who now has passed away, could "label more than a hundred objects and understood the concept of categories, as well as bigger-smaller, same-different and absence," according to the New York Times' review of the book.
  
  

Gray Parrot Artwork

• Select an original print of a gray from an online vendor. You can also commission a local artist to draw or paint a pet, if your friend owns a gray. You will need several photos of the parrot that clearly show its features and build so the artist can portray it accurately on canvas. Make sure you get the artwork framed to create a finished look.
  
  

Alex Foundation Donation

• A gray lover may appreciate a donation in his name to The Alex Foundation, which is headed by Dr. Irene Pepperberg. Pepperberg conducts research with grays and is an adjunct associate professor at Brandeis University, located in Waltham, Massachusetts, where she teaches in the psychology department. "The goal of The Alex Foundation is to support research that will expand the base of knowledge establishing the cognitive and communicative abilities of parrots as intelligent beings," writes the foundation's official website. "These findings will be used to encourage the responsible ownership of parrots, conservation and preservation of parrots in the wild, and veterinary research into the psychological diseases and care of these birds."
  
  

Gray Parrot Calendar

• Purchase a gray parrot calendar from an online vendor. Because this is a calendar with a specific bird, it may be difficult to find this kind of calendar in a store. The calendar will feature a new photo of a gray parrot in its habitat for every month of the year. You also can purchase a parrot calendar---National Geographic is a good place to start---that features an African gray parrot for one of the months. Look for 12-month, 16-month and wall calendars.