Foul-mouthed parrots moved with other birds to curb swearing habit

A wildlife park fed up with its “infamous swearing parrots” is transferring them to a bigger flock in the hope of curbing their habit – but it comes with a risk.

The decision was taken by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Park as three more birds learned to swear in addition to the five African greys that were moved to the venue in 2020.

But the park has now decided to introduce the bawdy parrots to a bigger group of more than 100 birds and already has a disclaimer for the visitors that says: “We cannot be responsible for what you hear!”

Chief executive Steve Nichols told BBC they will move all eight prolific swearing parrots with the rest of the birds to "dilute" their habit. He, however, acknowledged the risk of the other birds picking up this unusual vocabulary.

He admitted: “We could end up with 100 swearing parrots on our hands. Only time will tell.” But believes that “ultimately” their habit of lobbing obscenities would be reduced if not totally eradicated.

“Parrots are flock creatures. They need to be with other parrots. The bigger the flock, the happier they are. Even though they swear, the welfare of the birds has to come first,” Mr Nichols told the broadcaster.

“People think parrots are loud birds but they talk quite quietly. I’m hoping, above the general noise of the flock, the swearing will be drowned out,” he said.

The original five parrots were named Billy, Tyson, Eric, Jade and Elsie. The birds spent three months in isolation before they were put up on display for visitors and ended up becoming the park’s star attraction, he said.

A cheeky Instagram post by the park on Monday said: “I ‘swear’ I just heard you say something. Monday… what Monday… we’ve been having a ball causing havoc again.”

The three other birds that picked up the bad habit are Eric, Captain, and Sheila.

The disclaimer that was put up after the first five swearing parrots arrived, tells visitors how the African greys had their “own repertoire of ‘Blue Language’”.

It said that within a short time, their enclosure sounded like an old men’s working club as the parrots let out foul language followed by a “laugh” while in customary quarantine.

Mr Nichols said their antics entertained visitors even in times "when the world seems very serious”.

"You never tire of being told to eff off by a parrot. You can’t help but laugh. Of course, visitors stand around the enclosure swearing, trying to get the parrots to copy them,” he said.

Having spent 35 years with parrots, Mr Nichols said the eight would not completely give up on their language as "once it’s in their vocabulary, it’s usually there for good".

But he now things that the birds would learn to "imitate other sounds as well" like the other 30 birds there who imitate the sound of reversing lorry.

"We have about 30 birds who make the beeping sound that a reversing lorry makes. Hopefully, the rest will pick up on that and there will be less swearing,” he said.

The park’s National Parrot Sanctuary houses one-third of the UK’s birds and is more to home to more than 1,000 relocated parrots and parakeets from more than 100 species.