African Grey Parrots. Flippin' Birds!

Long time readers may remember that I love African Grey Parrots.  They're smart, long lived and did I mention smart?

One of the great mimics of the animal kingdom, African Greys are simply delightful.

 

Smarter than most people I know, too.

I once was in a customer's house.  This customer bred some little yappy dogs and there were at least half a dozen of them running around and causing a ruckus.  From out in the kitchen, a voice chimed out to call each of the dogs by name and tell them to "shush".  They did.  All of them.

Turns out that wasn't a human voice but the customer's African Grey.  Simply amazing.

Maybe a little too amazing.  Lincolnshire Wildlife Part in eastern England has a whole bunch of African Greys that have learned a little too well the lessons of their human neighbours.

These parrots don't just talk.  They swear.  A lot.

I can't help but think if I'd ever found a way to afford and care for an African Grey, this would be the kind of bird I'd end up with.

Anyhow...

First there was a batch of five and now three more four letter birds have been "donated" to the zoo.  Their plan is to integrate them in a much larger flock, hoping to water down the foul (fowl?) language among the more mundane noises the other birds mimic.

Me?  I'm hoping the cussin' is contagious and they end up with an R Rated flippin' flock.  I'd pay good money to go to that zoo.

The whole story is here should you care to flip the birds...