Parrots at wildlife park relocated after cursing at visitors

Five parrots were taken off public display at a UK wildlife park after they began using foul language around guests.

The swearing parrots were separated after repeatedly hurling expletives at both visitors and staff, only days after their donation to Lincolnshire Wildlife Park in eastern England.

‘It got out of hand, they were all swearing,’ said the park's CEO, Steve Nichols, in an interview with Dinogo Travel on Tuesday. ‘We were concerned for the kids.’

‘Every time I walk by, they call me a fat t**t,’ Nichols lamented.

The African grey parrots – Eric, Jade, Elsie, Tyson, and Billy – were donated to the park by five different owners in the same week, and initially quarantined together before being put on display.

However, staff quickly realized that the parrots had a tendency to lose their temper easily.

‘In no time, they started swearing at each other,’ Nichols said. ‘The phrase ‘F**k off’ was the most common one – it’s easy for them to pick up – but they would shout just about anything you can imagine.’

Most visitors appreciated the parrots' antics once they were on display. 'The guests were matching their energy,' Nichols said.

However, concerns for younger visitors led staff to separate the birds and temporarily remove them from the public areas. Now, they hope the parrots will become more family-friendly as a result of being kept apart.

‘It’s not unusual to receive a swearing parrot,’ Nichols said. ‘It happens about three or four times a year.’

The pandemic has led to an increase in donations, as more pet owners spend time with their parrots and choose to send them to parks offering more space, Nichols explained.

‘Normally, we’d receive one or two parrots every two weeks. Today, we took in eight,’ he added.

African grey parrots are one of the most popular parrot species. In 2019, approximately 1.1 million indoor birds were kept as pets in the UK, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association.