Foul-Mouthed Parrot Kept Indoors
Source: BBC News, news.bbc.co.uk
July 26, 2005
A parrot with a colourful vocabulary is proving to be a social embarrassment for the owners of the Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary in Nuneaton.
Barney, a five-year-old macaw, has no respect for authority. He has sworn at the Mayoress and a vicar and also told two policemen what he thought of them.
Sanctuary worker Stacey Clark said Barney once belonged to a truck driver.
"We tend to keep him indoors, away from the visitors. But everybody seems to take his abuse with a smile," she said.
"He has got a lot of character and he does say thank you when he gets a treat so he can be polite."
Some of the sayings he likes to repeat best include "hello big boys" and "where have you been?"
But his favourite words are mainly unrepeatable.
Sanctuary owner Geoff Grewcock said he has one rude word which he likes to say over and over again while swaying on his perch.
He added he had seen neighbours and passers-by duck and look around startled when they pass the window and hear the swearing from within.
"He only seems to swear when you don't want him to," he added.
"We tend to keep him indoors, away from any visitors. It's as if he knows which visitors he shouldn't swear in front of and so he goes and does so."
Barney was given to the sanctuary, which houses four more parrots, as his owner was emigrating to Spain.
"We do look to rehome pets but we won't rehouse Barney as he has built bonds with us," Mr Grewcock added.
July 26, 2005
A parrot with a colourful vocabulary is proving to be a social embarrassment for the owners of the Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary in Nuneaton.
Barney, a five-year-old macaw, has no respect for authority. He has sworn at the Mayoress and a vicar and also told two policemen what he thought of them.
Sanctuary worker Stacey Clark said Barney once belonged to a truck driver.
"We tend to keep him indoors, away from the visitors. But everybody seems to take his abuse with a smile," she said.
"He has got a lot of character and he does say thank you when he gets a treat so he can be polite."
Some of the sayings he likes to repeat best include "hello big boys" and "where have you been?"
But his favourite words are mainly unrepeatable.
Sanctuary owner Geoff Grewcock said he has one rude word which he likes to say over and over again while swaying on his perch.
He added he had seen neighbours and passers-by duck and look around startled when they pass the window and hear the swearing from within.
"He only seems to swear when you don't want him to," he added.
"We tend to keep him indoors, away from any visitors. It's as if he knows which visitors he shouldn't swear in front of and so he goes and does so."
Barney was given to the sanctuary, which houses four more parrots, as his owner was emigrating to Spain.
"We do look to rehome pets but we won't rehouse Barney as he has built bonds with us," Mr Grewcock added.
posted by John | 12:58 PM
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