Chennai: Rare parrot unlocks cage himself, flies away; owner files police complaint – Times of India

CHENNAI: Software engineer Prathip of West Mambalam and his family members have spent two sleepless night over Pepper, their pet African Grey parrot that went missing on Sunday.
Prathip said the bird managed to unlock the cage himself, before taking to the skies. The one-year-old bird responds to his given name, Prathip said, adding that his family would give a cash reward to anyone who helps them trace the missing pet. The owner also lodged a complaint at the Mambalam police station.
Pepper was a gift Prathip received about nine months ago. Prathip and his wife looked after the bird with great care, with their dog Max serving as his playmate.
On Sunday, Prathip did not immediately realise that Pepper had freed himself from the cage.. The main door was open, allowing the bird to fly out. “We consider him our son. It is rare to see a dog and parrot playing together. I think he must have lost his way or been caught by miscreants,” said Prathip.
The engineer posted about the missing bird on social media and also put up posters in a 5km radius around their home. He said it wouldn’t have been possible for the bird to fly for long distances. He also informed dealers in the area to alert him if someone approached them to sell the parrot. Any information about the parrot can be relayed to Prathip on 87544 43878.
The African Grey parrot is known to be good at mimicking human speech with the ability to even form simple sentences. Research showed that these birds can be as smart as a five-year-old child. The bird was listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2018.