Rio the talkative African grey parrot was yesterday back in captivity after making a bid for freedom.
He was reunited with his mate and chattering away happily after escaping from his Lochaber home and living wild in the Highlands for almost two days.
Anne Ferguson, 76, of Spean Bridge, hatched Rio and his partner Lola about eight years ago.
And she was horrified to discover that he had disappeared when she found his cage door had accidentally been left open on Monday evening.
Her daughter Kim Ferguson, also of Spean Bridge, who helps look after the birds, issued an urgent appeal on a social networking site, which led to his safe return.
Ms Ferguson said: “We keep them at mum’s home and the door to their flight was somehow left ajar.
“He was missing for about 40 hours.”
The wayward bird was recaptured yesterday (Wednesday) lunchtime after it was spotted by a dog walker near the Commando Memorial. He informed the local Spar shop, where staff had seen the appeal and contacted the Fergusons.
“We found him hiding amongst the ferns chattering away to himself.
“It’s a good job he hid or he could have become lunch for a crow or a buzzard.
“Rio was delighted to see my mum and I and quite happy to be put in a net. He didn’t make any attempt to get away,” said Ms Ferguson.
She added that Lola was less pleased to see him back, ignoring him for a good half hour before she forgave him for leaving her and snuggled up beside him.
She said: “They are both gorgeous birds, but Rio can be very noisy.
“He says ridiculous things such as ‘Rangers are rubbish’ and I’m a Rangers fan.
“He also says: ‘Humpty Dumpty sat on a boy’, we just can’t get him to say wall.
“And he wolf whistles all the time.”
Jim Shepherd, of Roybridge, said he was walking his border terrier Charlie around Spean Bridge, Highbridge and the Commando Memorial when the dog stopped and refused to move.
He said: “Charlie was staring at something on the ground in the bracken. I then heard a loud shriek and walked over.
“The parrot was just standing in the bracken. At first I thought it was stuck, so I put my hand in to help it out but it puffed up and made some very loud shrieks, so I backed off a bit.”
He added that he was very glad the family got Rio back safe and sound.
