this post was submitted on 28 Jan 2024
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Wildlife park taking high-risk approach to tackle parrots' swearing problem (metro.co.uk)
submitted 9 months ago by Emperor@feddit.uk to c/andfinally@feddit.uk
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Lincolnshire Wildlife Park hit headlines in 2020 when it had to move a group of five adopted African Grey Parrots into isolation due to their foul-beaked language.

They were returned to a public enclosure last year, but as the birds are still squawking expletives the park has just introduced them to around 100 other African Parrots in the hope it will ‘dilute’ their vocabulary.

However, chief executive Steve Nichols admits there is a chance the wider flock will start mimicking the smaller group, instead of the other way around.

He told Metro: ‘We could end up with 100 swearing parrots on our hands, we’ll just have to wait and see. It could be bedlam!’

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[–] Grass@sh.itjust.works 3 points 9 months ago

It would take extensive training with rewards and entertaining play time while introducing more words until it finds new favourites for just one bird to reduce it's usage of fowl language. Even then they will fuse them and make even weirder 'words'. My favourite grey at the shelter I visit whenever I'm in the area goes in for hugs then says 'niggerwarts?' or 'can I have a fuckberry?' and I lose it laughing and most of the other birds start laughing too. It's a grand old time.

[–] Pons_Aelius@kbin.social 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

There is the option to let the fucking parrots go, then you won;'t have to worry about the swearing.

African grey parrots have the intelligence of a five year old human and are born to fly. Locking them up in small enclosures is just cruel.

[–] Ciryamo@feddit.de 16 points 9 months ago (1 children)

They were most likely bread and raised in captivity. A lot of parrots raised that way can't even fly, let alone take care of themselves in the wild, let alone in Britain.

Being kept in a flock of 100 birds at a wildlife park is probably the next best situation these birds could've found themselves in and the closest to a natural habitat they'll be able to get.