Abusive Language and Loud Laughter Whenever Visitors Approach! Zoo Authorities Separate Five Parrots in England

Five African grey parrots have become notorious for hurling abusive words at visitors and then bursting into loud laughter together. Fed up with their unusual behaviour, authorities at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park in England eventually decided to separate the five parrots and place them in individual enclosures.

The five parrots had been housed together since arriving at the zoo in 2020. However, their unusual behaviour soon became a challenge for the staff. Whenever a visitor approached their enclosure, the parrots would start shouting abusive words. As soon as one bird began, the others would quickly join in. Moments later, all five would burst into loud laughter.

According to zoo staff, the parrots seemed to be engaged in a competition to outdo one another. Whenever one bird uttered an abusive word, another would repeat it even louder. The remaining birds would then laugh together, seemingly encouraging their companion. Even when visitors became uncomfortable and walked away, the parrots continued laughing. Interestingly, they remained quiet when no one was standing near their enclosure.

Although many visitors found their antics amusing, their behaviour created uncomfortable situations for families visiting the zoo with young children. Therefore, to control the situation, the five parrots were moved into separate enclosures. Staff members jokingly referred to their enclosure as the zoo’s most “bad-mannered classroom”.

African grey parrots are considered among the most intelligent bird species in the world. They can not only imitate human speech but also understand their surroundings and social cues. Research suggests that these parrots can learn more than 100 words. They learn new words and behaviours not only from humans but also from other birds.

Later, zoo authorities introduced the five parrots to a larger group of other birds. The hope is that exposure to birds that do not use abusive language will gradually help them lose their unusual habit.

Meanwhile, the bizarre antics of the five parrots quickly went viral on social media, sparking widespread discussion among netizens. The incident once again highlighted how birds, much like humans, can pick up behaviours from their surroundings and companions.