This Grey Parrot With A Yorkshire Accent Is A Source Of Slapstick Comedy

Snigdha Raju

A twitter thread by a 17-year old student showing her parrot, Barney, which can converse, role-play, sing Christmas carols and even whistle the theme song to Spongebob Squarepants is delightful.

Not only is this parrot asking its owner, ‘you alright, love?’ is strangely comforting, it also does slapstick comedy like biting itself and asking to stop itself too.

“Another funny thing he does is when he poos he says ‘smelly bum’ or ‘dirty bugger’,” says Bullimore, the owner.

She and her brother were watching viral videos of parrots when they decided to get one themselves, hoping it would be a ‘strong speaker’; and Barney definitely lived up to their expectations.

Also Read: Viral Video: Parrot Says I Love You To Her Babies

The African grey parrot is one of the most talented talking/ mimicking birds on the planet, giving it quite a reputation among bird enthusiasts. Not only do bird keepers love this intelligent bird, it’s one of the most recognizable species to bird novices as well — everyone knows the African grey parrot. This parrot is one of the oldest psitticine species kept by humans, with records of the bird dating back to biblical times. Understated beauty and a brainy no-nonsense attitude are what keep this parrot at the peak of popularity, like Barney.

They are complex parrots, highly sensitive, and more than a little demanding. They are also charming and brilliant, but this match of sensitivity and brains can lead to behavioral issues. African greys are social parrots that need a lot of hands-on time, however, they aren’t “cuddlebugs.” They will tolerate some head scratching and a little bit of petting, but they do not appreciate intense physical contact.

They often possess a wide vocabulary and know what they are saying. This makes birds like Barney so fascinating.

Check out this thread of Barney’s hilarious videos: