Churchill's parrot won't squawk (Churchill's parrot during WWII found alive at 104)

Reuters ^ | 19 January 2004

[Kepitalizm]

LONDON (Reuters) - Winston Churchill's foul-mouthed 104-year old parrot has refused to surrender to after a newspaper tracked the bird down and discovered it was still alive.

"They've been trying to get him to talk all day, but he's not saying much," said Sylvia Martin, who manages Heathfield Nurseries where parrot Charlie has lived for the last 12 years.

Charlie, who kept Churchill company during World War Two, was famous for occasionally squawking four-letter obscenities about Hitler. But Martin told Reuters the bird has mellowed.

"He doesn't say very much anymore -- usually just hello and goodbye. But he does get so excited about music and dances to it. He's very fit."

Charlie -- invariably referred to as "he" despite being female -- is now owned by Peter Oram, the garden centre's owner, Martin said. Oram's father-in-law sold Churchill the bird and was asked to take it back after the prime minister died in 1965.

Steve Nichols, founder of Britain's National Parrot Sanctuary, said on Monday that although parrots did not often live longer than 40 in the wild, some had lived to up to 110.

"It's obviously had the best life possible," he said.

[Kepitalizm]

If that isn't a great story, I don't know what is.

[StoneColdGOP]

Are you kidding me? Churchill's parrot still alive?

A parrot that curses Hitler? That's awesome!

[ambrose]

Bump!

[mabelkitty]

Reuters - run first, fact-check later.

[The Red Zone]

Maybe they should get the old "guy" (gal) a mate and see if "he" talks. She probably won't want to let hubby get a word in edgewise.

[cmsgop]

Whoa!!!!! Polly Want Medicare!

[FreePaul]

...occasionally squawking four-letter obscenities about Hitler.

Better be careful. Some may call that hate speech. Well, it's probably OK as long as it's clear he is talking about Hitler.

[Ichneumon]

Oram's father-in-law sold Churchill the bird and was asked to take it back after the prime minister died in 1965.

Unlike most pets, it's important to somehow provide for pet parrots in your will, because they are likely to outlive you.

FYI, the parrot that played "Fred", Robert Blake's onscreen pet in the 1970's TV series "Baretta", is still going strong.

I once talked to a guy who still owned his grandfather's pet parrot after it had been passed down in the family, and he had the original bill of sale for it, bought off a boat from South America, dated 1898.

[StillProud2BeFree]

Can we teach it to curse Osama?

[Triple Word Score]

Great story bump!

[irish guard]

You sure this isn't a story from the Onion?

[giotto]

There's a movie in there somewhere--with John Cleese doing the parrot's voice maybe?

[tet68]

E're, E's only sleeping....

[VOA]

Whoa!!!!! Polly Want Medicare!

The real headline?
"Churchill's Aged Parrot Shows Socialist National Health Service Good For Bird-Brains"

[TheyConvictedOglethorpe]

"Churchill's parrot" would be a great name for a band.

[baltodog]

Well, I guess a parrot this old has to be good for something....he certainly isn't good eating anymore.

[Professional Engineer]

Unlike most pets, it's important to somehow provide for pet parrots in your will, because they are likely to outlive you.

My dad has a California Desert Tortoise. It's about 17 years old. I figure MY grandkids will inherit it from my kids.

[OXENinFLA]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040119/photos_wl_uk_afp/040119152326_x4x0o0u7_photo0

---------------

The inner thoughts of Britain's wartime leader Winston Churchill live on, thanks to the foul mouth of his 104-year-old parrot who lives at a garden centre in southeast England.(AFP/File)

[Kepitalizm]

If it had been posted on April 1st, I wouldn't have believed it, but it seems genuine, and the story has been reported elsewhere.

[FormerLib]

Of course he won't talk to them! After keeping company with Churchill, he probably thinks talking to any mere moral is beneath him!