Alex The Parrot

Read about the remarkable Grey Parrot named Alex who changed the way the world thought of birds. When Alex was 1 year old he was adopted by Irene Pepperberg a Purdue Graduate student. Irene and her crew studied and worked with Alex for 30 years in the biology lab. Alex surprised and amazed the world at how intelligent he proved to be. Before Alex people thought that birds (with their walnut sized brains) were not very smart. After years of learning and testing Alex was able to understand numbers, shapes and materials. He also learned to add and subtract among other things. Not only was Alex smart he was also loveable and funny, the author shares many examples of this throughout the book. Alex the Parrot tells the story of the strong bond between Alex and Irene and the fascinating discoveries they made together, through scientific testing, about the intellectual capacities of birds. (Alex 1976-2007)

Curriculum connections: Scientific Inquiry Process, Scientific Reflection and Social Implication, Scientific Inquiry Analysis and Communication, Heredity: Inherited and Acquired Traits, Interactions with Environment

Alex The Parrot: No Ordinary Bird (By Stephanie Spinner, Illustrated by

Meilo So, Knopf 2013)