Lovesick parrot seeks missing mate (From Durham Times)

Lovesick parrot seeks missing mate

3:30pm Wednesday 8th July 2009

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A LOVESICK parrot is desperately seeking the return of her mate, after he flew their cage and disappeared.

Ever since Yellowhead, a Blue-fronted Amazon, escaped from his garage home on Sunday night, his partner has refused to eat, shown signs of stress and been unusually noisy.

Yellowhead flew the pair's lovenest, near Coxhoe, County Durham, when owner Dave Lawson came to feed his pets, and was last seen flying towards Trimdon.

Mr Lawson said: "I couldn't believe it had done it. I was absolutely devastated.

"Since then, the female's been stressed out, chuntering on all the time and she won't eat. It's an awful situation for her and for me."

Mr Lawson has owned Yellowhead, who is aged seven, since the parrot was nine-months-old and the nine-year-old female, who he has not named, since she was two.

Yellowhead is said to be worth about £500 and Mr Lawson has offered a cash reward for information leading to his safe return.

The 46-year-old, who lives with partner Charmaine Newton and children Liam, 16, and Nicole, 15, has kept parrots since he was a boy. Prior to Yellowhead's disappearance, he had six of the birds.

Mr Lawson had placed Yellowhead and his partner in a special cage, because the female had been unwell. But Yellowhead flew the nest during feeding time, at about 5pm on Sunday.

He said: "I watched him through binoculars heading towards Trimdon. I went across fields and hedges and I've put up posters in the village but nobody's seen him since."

Yellowhead is described as about the size of a large crow, olive green in colour with a yellow head and yellow and red flecks on his wings.

To speak to Mr Lawson, call 0191-377-2291 or 07747-030-864.

In a separate incident, two African Grey parrots and a rose breasted cockatoo have been stolen from an aviary in Woodbrook Avenue, Newcastle. A 23-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman have been arrested and bailed.

One of the parrots has one leg, swears a lot and has a catchphrase of "What's it to you?", while the cockatoo says: "What's up?"

Anyone with information should call Northumbria Police on 03456-043-043.

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