Parrot fights off burglars

Crime-fighting parrot saves owner from house robbery by frightening intruders with his squawk

Crime-fighting parrot saves owner from house robbery by frightening intruders with his squawk

Thieves who prised open the front door of a house in London's Docklands were shocked to be met by the owner's pet bird.

Flee the scene
The parrot, named Kuzya, let out a piercing screech that could be heard streets away, prompting the robbers to turn on their heels and flee. Gennadi Kurkul, 42, the bird's owner, said that his neighbours were full of praise for the noisy green Lory parrot. He said, "They reached in through a window and managed to open the door and get in. But they must have disturbed Kuzya. He let out a massive scream. You could hear it all over the Docklands."

All the burglars managed to seize during their 4 am raid was Kurkul's wallet, which had been left close to the window.

Fantastic
Kurkul, a Russian interpreter, added that the parrot was a fantastic pet who follows him around the house like a dog.

He said, "I don't keep him in a cage. He just finds a spot at night where he likes to sleep and settles down there sometimes under the stairs."

Commenting on Kuzya's heroic act, he said, "He must have heard their footsteps and just started screaming."
Tower Hamlets police, who have been investigating the break-in, are already understood to have made an arrest.

Keep safe
A police spokesman said, "It's important for people to keep their doors and windows secure, especially during this hot weather." He added, "Check everything before going to bed and try not to leave windows open in rooms you're not using."

Parrot tales

Parrots are interesting pets to keep. There was a report from Australia, where lorikeetsu00a0 were struck down by the an unidentified illness. They showedu00a0 classic signs of human drunkenness, losing all coordination before passing out. When they used to wake up, they would cower in cages as they recover from their 'hangovers.' "They definitely seem like they're drunk," said Lisa Hansen, a veterinary surgeon at the Ark Animal Hospital in Palmerston, near Darwin. "They fall out of trees and they're not so coordinated as they would normally be. According to experts, the affliction is seasonal, with most lorikeets recovering within a few weeks, only to become ill again. Experts weren't sure what was causing the symptoms