Five Parrots at UK Zoo Outcurse Tourists, Staff Deploys Aviary Lockdown
Parrots Lincolnshire Wildlife Park: Five African grey parrots named Billy, Eric, Tyson, Jade, and Elsie transformed a British zoo into the UK’s top answer for “Can parrots teach each other to curse?” and “Why do parrots swear?” by unleashing synchronized, guest-directed profanity. “When a parrot tells you to ‘f*** off’ it amuses people very highly,” said chief executive Steve Nichols, after the birds’ unfiltered language drew laughter instead of complaints.
Unlike most parrots, these five relished public obscenities, sparking staff to move them to separate zoo wings—just in case “Can animals influence each other’s behavior?” or “What happens when parrots swear?” needed a living demonstration. Nichols dryly warned, “If they teach the others bad language and I end up with 250 swearing birds, I don’t know what we’ll do,” conjuring visions of a future where the zoo’s aviary echoes with a symphony of cheeky heckles.
The Lincolnshire sanctuary’s parrots weren’t just isolated—they nearly jumpstarted a 200-bird cursing epidemic, a scenario even the most seasoned keepers admit they’re wholly unprepared to subtitle live.
