Who’s a petty boy? Why some parrots don’t like women
THEY are among the world’s most intelligent birds and can famously mimic human voices and phrases.
But sadly some parrots appear to be sexist – by declaring a firm preference for either a male or female owner.
Now birds being put up for adoption who prefer male owners are finding life tough because there are not enough men willing to take them.
The number of the birds being dropped off at rescue centres surged during lockdown. Charity Birdline took in 88 parrots between March and September – compared with 52 in the same period in 2019.
Claire Longworth, of Birdline, said: ‘We do struggle to find male foster homes. We get families and women, but not so many male-only homes or places where the man is going to be the predominant carer. Some birds prefer that.’
Experts say that parrots become strongly attached to being around either a man or a woman, depending on the identity of the bird’s original owner.
Unfortunately, there are fewer men than women looking to adopt one, making it difficult to rehome a male-attached parrot. They can also live to a great age, which can deter potential owners.
Parrots have also posed problems for any owners forced to work at home in the pandemic because they are sometimes very loud. Miss Longworth told the Sunday Times: ‘It is a bit problematic if you are trying to do a Zoom call or an audio conference and there is a parrot in the background squawking.’
It is said some parrots are as clever as a three-year-old child. However, they can be troublesome when they are bored or hungry. The rise in unwanted parrots is in stark contrast to the increasing demand by families for cats, dogs and even chickens during lockdown.