The Lincolnshire Wildlife Park in the UK is facing a unique challenge: a growing flock of African grey parrots with a penchant for profanity. In an attempt to refine their feathered friends’ vocabulary, the park is introducing the foul-mouthed birds to a much larger, more well-behaved flock. Will this social experiment lead to a chorus of cleaner chirps or an avian avalanche of expletives?
The saga began in 2020 when the park adopted five African greys – Billy, Tyson, Eric, Jade, and Elsie. Their colorful language quickly captivated visitors, but also prompted the zoo to relocate them away from public ears in hopes of curbing their cursing. The parrots were placed with other colonies, a strategy that yielded some success, though their sailor-like vocabulary persisted. Upon their return, a sign warning of “unfriendly language” was erected near their enclosure. “When we came to move them, the language that came out of their carrying boxes was phenomenal, really bad. Not normal swear words, these were proper expletives,” Steve Nichols, the park’s chief executive, told CNN.
The situation remained somewhat manageable until the park welcomed three more cursing parrots – Eric, Captain, and Sheila. With eight potty-mouthed parrots on their hands, park officials are embarking on a novel approach. They plan to integrate the entire group into a larger flock of 100 parrots, hoping the larger group’s more polite communication will influence the foul-mouthed octet.
This decision isn’t solely driven by the desire to clean up the parrots’ language. African greys are highly social creatures and thrive in larger flocks. While it’s unlikely the birds will entirely abandon their acquired vocabulary—a parrot’s lexicon rarely shrinks, according to Nichols—there’s hope for some improvement. However, there’s also a humorous risk: the experiment could backfire spectacularly.
“Ultimately, I think the swearing will be diluted,” Nichols told the BBC. “[But] we could end up with 100 swearing parrots on our hands. Only time will tell.” Whether this experiment leads to a symphony of sweet sounds or a cacophony of curses, it’s sure to be an interesting observation in parrot behavior.
