Lost African Grey Tells Vet His Address

Kaylee · 21st May 2008, 04:17 PM

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline...and-found.html

Quote:

… an African grey parrot flew his Tokyo-area coop and was rescued by police, The Associated Press reports. But he was no stool pigeon.

"I tried to be friendly and talked to him, but he completely ignored me," policeman Shinjiro Uemura said.

After a silent night in the pokey, he was taken to a local veterinary hospital. A few days later, he struck up a conversation.

"I'm Mr. Yosuke Nakamura," the bird said, including his complete home address. He also sang for the staff.

Great story with a happy ending

, but I don’t understand why the parrot’s owners didn’t chip him.

Soapy Sam · 21st May 2008, 04:26 PM

Parrots can speak Japanese?

I knew they were smart, but...

Complexity · 21st May 2008, 05:29 PM

I love this story, especially the 'Mr.'.

Olowkow · 21st May 2008, 06:29 PM

Even smart enough to know not to talk to the cops!

Gord_in_Toronto · 21st May 2008, 06:41 PM

Ha! Not so smart! He got lost in the first place. Though, considering this was Tokyo, he is probably smarter than me. Cute story,

Olowkow · 21st May 2008, 06:55 PM

He was pining for the fjords! (Monty Python ref)

Complexity · 21st May 2008, 07:15 PM

He enjoyed a walkabout and came home when he was ready.

Soapy Sam · 22nd May 2008, 03:26 AM

Good idea on Nakamura-San's part to teach the varmint his name and address.

Kaylee · 22nd May 2008, 04:06 AM

It was. I've been debating whether Yosuke-san understood what an address was though. Not really enough news coverage to know either way -- but I tend to doubt it. He probably thought it was just a string of words to say to get a good treat and or attention.

Its still a good story though!

kerikiwi · 22nd May 2008, 01:19 PM

At one bird park I visited there was a cockatoo which refused to speak. When the visitor got tired of such a boring bird and wandered away to the next enclosure, the bird would invariably say 'hallo', which equally invariably brought the visitor scurrying back. And the cycle repeated.
'Hallo' was the only word he knew, but he thought it meant 'going so soon?'

Jeff Corey · 22nd May 2008, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by kerikiwi

At one bird park I visited there was a cockatoo which refused to speak. When the visitor got tired of such a boring bird and wandered away to the next enclosure, the bird would invariably say 'hallo', which equally invariably brought the visitor scurrying back. And the cycle repeated.
'Hallo' was the only word he knew, but he thought it meant 'going so soon?'

Years ago I was told a similar shaggy-feathered bird story, but the punchline was, "As soon as the the visitor was well out of sight, Petey would invariably squawk, "Birds don't talk, idiot!"

Mr. Scott · 23rd May 2008, 01:22 AM

Originally Posted by Jeff Corey

Years ago I was told a similar shaggy-feathered bird story, but the punchline was, "As soon as the the visitor was well out of sight, Petey would invariably squawk, "Birds don't talk, idiot!"

A parrot was sitting in its cage alone in a nice living room when there was a knock on the door. The parrot said, "Who's there?"

A voice answered, "It's the plumber, come to fix the sink." There was an uncomfortable silence and a louder knock on the door. "Who's there?" asked the parrot.

A louder voice answered, "It's the plumber, come to fix the sink!"

After another uncomfortable silence and then a very angry knock, the parrot asks again "Who's there?"

Furious now, the voice says "It's the plumber come to fix the sink! Oh, forget it!"

An old lady comes down the stairs and asks, "who's there?" and the parrot answers, calmly, "It's the plumber, come to fix the sink."

Ranb · 23rd May 2008, 01:42 PM

Here is one I read somewhere;

A burglar enters a house at night. As he is looking around with his flashlight he hears a voice say, "Jesus is watching". The burglar freezes for a moment then begins to look around again. Soon he hears the same voice say, "Jesus is watching". This time he shines his light onto a parrot in a cage. He asks the parrot, "Are you Jesus?" The parrot says "No, my name is Harold." The burglar asks, "What kind of idiot names a parrot Harold?” The parrot replies, "The same idiot who named the rottweiler Jesus"

Ranb

21st May 2008, 04:17 PM	#1
Kaylee Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 3,838	Lost African Grey Tells Vet His Address http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline...and-found.html Quote: … an African grey parrot flew his Tokyo-area coop and was rescued by police, The Associated Press reports. But he was no stool pigeon. "I tried to be friendly and talked to him, but he completely ignored me," policeman Shinjiro Uemura said. After a silent night in the pokey, he was taken to a local veterinary hospital. A few days later, he struck up a conversation. "I'm Mr. Yosuke Nakamura," the bird said, including his complete home address. He also sang for the staff. Great story with a happy ending , but I don’t understand why the parrot’s owners didn’t chip him.
Kaylee Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 3,838	__________________ When everyone think alike, no one thinks very much. -- Walter Lippman''

21st May 2008, 04:26 PM	#2
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	Parrots can speak Japanese? I knew they were smart, but...
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885

21st May 2008, 05:29 PM	#3
Complexity The Woo Whisperer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Minnesota, USA Posts: 9,263	I love this story, especially the 'Mr.'.
	__________________ "It is a great nuisance that knowledge can only be acquired by hard work." - W. Somerset Maugham "Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible; thought is merciless to privilege, established intuititions, and comfortable habit. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man." - Bertrand Russell

21st May 2008, 06:29 PM	#4
Olowkow Illuminator Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4,824	Even smart enough to know not to talk to the cops!
Olowkow Illuminator Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4,824	__________________ Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie, which we ascribe to heaven. --Shakespeare

21st May 2008, 06:41 PM	#5
Gord_in_Toronto Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 13,417	Ha! Not so smart! He got lost in the first place. Though, considering this was Tokyo, he is probably smarter than me. Cute story,
	__________________ "Reality is what's left when you cease to believe." Philip K. Dick

21st May 2008, 06:55 PM	#6
Olowkow Illuminator Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4,824	He was pining for the fjords! (Monty Python ref)
Olowkow Illuminator Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4,824	__________________ Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie, which we ascribe to heaven. --Shakespeare

21st May 2008, 07:15 PM	#7
Complexity The Woo Whisperer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Minnesota, USA Posts: 9,263	He enjoyed a walkabout and came home when he was ready.
	__________________ "It is a great nuisance that knowledge can only be acquired by hard work." - W. Somerset Maugham "Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible; thought is merciless to privilege, established intuititions, and comfortable habit. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man." - Bertrand Russell

22nd May 2008, 03:26 AM	#8
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	Good idea on Nakamura-San's part to teach the varmint his name and address.
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885

22nd May 2008, 04:06 AM	#9
Kaylee Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 3,838	It was. I've been debating whether Yosuke-san understood what an address was though. Not really enough news coverage to know either way -- but I tend to doubt it. He probably thought it was just a string of words to say to get a good treat and or attention. Its still a good story though!
Kaylee Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 3,838	__________________ When everyone think alike, no one thinks very much. -- Walter Lippman''

22nd May 2008, 01:19 PM	#10
kerikiwi Philosopher Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bay of Islands NZ Posts: 5,846	At one bird park I visited there was a cockatoo which refused to speak. When the visitor got tired of such a boring bird and wandered away to the next enclosure, the bird would invariably say 'hallo', which equally invariably brought the visitor scurrying back. And the cycle repeated. 'Hallo' was the only word he knew, but he thought it meant 'going so soon?'

22nd May 2008, 03:13 PM	#11
Jeff Corey New York Skeptic Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 13,794	Originally Posted by kerikiwi At one bird park I visited there was a cockatoo which refused to speak. When the visitor got tired of such a boring bird and wandered away to the next enclosure, the bird would invariably say 'hallo', which equally invariably brought the visitor scurrying back. And the cycle repeated. 'Hallo' was the only word he knew, but he thought it meant 'going so soon?' Years ago I was told a similar shaggy-feathered bird story, but the punchline was, "As soon as the the visitor was well out of sight, Petey would invariably squawk, "Birds don't talk, idiot!"

23rd May 2008, 01:22 AM	#12
Mr. Scott Under the Amazing One's Wing Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: USA Posts: 2,281	Originally Posted by Jeff Corey Years ago I was told a similar shaggy-feathered bird story, but the punchline was, "As soon as the the visitor was well out of sight, Petey would invariably squawk, "Birds don't talk, idiot!" A parrot was sitting in its cage alone in a nice living room when there was a knock on the door. The parrot said, "Who's there?" A voice answered, "It's the plumber, come to fix the sink." There was an uncomfortable silence and a louder knock on the door. "Who's there?" asked the parrot. A louder voice answered, "It's the plumber, come to fix the sink!" After another uncomfortable silence and then a very angry knock, the parrot asks again "Who's there?" Furious now, the voice says "It's the plumber come to fix the sink! Oh, forget it!" An old lady comes down the stairs and asks, "who's there?" and the parrot answers, calmly, "It's the plumber, come to fix the sink."
	__________________ "thhere's waaaay too much colonialism and white supremacy in our culture to even THINK about addressing the religion of brown people, the end." A+ Global Moderator ceepolk, Dec. 9, 2012

23rd May 2008, 01:42 PM	#13
Ranb Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: WA USA Posts: 4,114	Here is one I read somewhere; A burglar enters a house at night. As he is looking around with his flashlight he hears a voice say, "Jesus is watching". The burglar freezes for a moment then begins to look around again. Soon he hears the same voice say, "Jesus is watching". This time he shines his light onto a parrot in a cage. He asks the parrot, "Are you Jesus?" The parrot says "No, my name is Harold." The burglar asks, "What kind of idiot names a parrot Harold?” The parrot replies, "The same idiot who named the rottweiler Jesus" Ranb
	Last edited by Ranb; 23rd May 2008 at 01:49 PM.