F*** THE NAZIS, SAYS CHURCHILL'S PARROT

The Mirror (UK) ^ | 1/19/2004 | Bill Borrows

[ArcLight]

Her favourite sayings were "F*** Hitler" and "F*** the Nazis". And even today, 39 years after the great man's death, she can still be coaxed into repeating them with that unmistakable Churchillian inflection.

Many an admiral or peer of the realm was shocked by the tirade from the bird's cage during crisis meetings with the PM.

But it always brought a smile to the war leader's face.

Churchill bought Charlie - giving him a boy's name despite the fact she was female - in 1937.

She took pride of place in a bizarre menagerie of pets including lambs, pigs, cattle, swans and, at one point, a leopard.

He immediately began to teach her to swear - particularly in company - and she is keeping up the tradition today

[ArcLight]

This is NOT an ex-parrot!

[martin_fierro]

Churchill's daughter debunked this today.

Search is our friend.

[Naspino]

This bird could very well be the perfect candidate for Democrats in 2004.

[GOPologist]

Is this where the US, FCC chairman learned to use the EFF word and stated that he would vote for or approve the use of that word as long as it not in a sexual content?

[capt. norm]

The article is mistaken....there are a lot of parrots over 80 years old.

My double-yellow head Amazon is a mere 34 but a lot of my friends have birds well up there in years.

What really honks off the enviro-whackos & PETA types is that parrots live a lot longer in captivity than they do in the wild.

[mewzilla]

Maybe it's John F. Kerry's parrot.

[SamAdams76]

This is a great story. Amazing that parrots can live that long and remember things that they were taught to say 60-70 years ago.

Winston Churchill was always one of my most admired people. I'm reading (off and on) his massive 6-volume set on the Second World War. It's a dry read but fascinating nevertheless, as it is not often you get a historical narrative of great events from one of the major principals in them. Winston also had a mastery of the English language that is only rarely equaled by others, especially in these times.

[Mr. Mojo]

This bird could very well be the perfect candidate for Democrats in 2004.

Nah, the bird says "f/k Hitler", not "f/k Reagan." But then again, Kerry's numbers started to climb right around the time he used the f-word, so who knows?

[Mr. Mojo]

Yep, it's not usual for parrots to live into their 80's and beyond. What is unusual is that it expanded its vocabulary so late in life (into his 40's).

[Ciexyz]

Somebody emailed me this article on the 104 year old parrot. Please say it's true! I want it to be true!

[Naspino]

Nah, the bird says "f/k Hitler", not "f/k Reagan." But then again, Kerry's numbers started to climb right around the time he used the f-word, so who knows?

According to them Bush is Hitler plus they get the boost from the use of the f/k word. John F'ing Kerry and his vice president Churchill's F'ing Parrot.

[Ciexyz]

At the Pittsburgh Aviary (which is billed as The National Aviary), they have a row of parrots in cages that have been donated by their deceased owners. The parrots outlive their owners....you have to provide for them in your will.

[blau993]

Looks like a Norwegian Blue to me -- Pining for the Fjords, ee is.