The Zoo That Had to Separate Parrots for Swearing at Visitors

In 2020, a wildlife park in England found itself at the center of an unexpected viral sensation when five African grey parrots began entertaining—and shocking—visitors with their colorful vocabulary.

The parrots, named Billy, Eric, Tyson, Jade, and Elsie, had spent time together in quarantine before being introduced to the public. During that period, they apparently taught each other a collection of swear words and quickly turned it into a group activity.

Rather than cursing randomly, the birds seemed to work as a team. One parrot would start, another would join in, and soon all five were shouting profanities while laughing loudly. Visitors often found the behavior hilarious, especially when the parrots timed their insults to get a reaction. The birds would even laugh back when people laughed at them.

While many guests enjoyed the unexpected comedy, park staff became concerned about younger visitors hearing the language. To prevent the behavior from spreading, the zoo made the unusual decision to separate the five parrots into different enclosures.

The concern wasn’t just about visitors—it was about the other birds. With around 200 African grey parrots at the park, staff worried that the foul language could spread throughout the flock. As one zoo official joked, they didn’t want to end up with hundreds of swearing parrots.

Despite the challenges, the incident highlighted the remarkable intelligence, social behavior, and mischievous personalities that African grey parrots are famous for, turning an ordinary zoo story into an unforgettable viral moment.