Canal-travelling parrot scares owners as it takes flight and escapes to woods

1:51pm Saturday 17th May 2008

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The owners of Ruby the parrot were left grief-stricken when she committed an act of fowl play.

When Graham and Annie Law took their African grey parrot on a boating holiday along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, they were distraught when their little gem flew away.

Ruby - who usually enjoys such boating holidays - escaped when her lead snapped as it got caught between a hammer and a peg when the boat was entering Silsden.

Mr Law said: "When I was nailing in a mooring peg it got caught and the tug caused Ruby to fly strongly and in an instant she disappeared behind some trees heading into the valley.

"Unlike pigeons, parrots have no homing instinct and are immediately lost in such circumstances.

"It was a nightmare, the parrot would not stand a chance in the wild on its own."

The worried Leicestershire couple spent all night searching for their beloved pet and whistling the bird's favourite song - the Archer's theme tune - to no avail.

They spoke to anglers and passers-by and produced posters to advertise their lost parrot through newsagents, shops and post offices in the area but eventually had to admit defeat and go home.

Mr Law said: "It is a truly dreadful experience leaving a close pet abandoned in a very dangerous predicament with all the crows and magpies in the area. Nevertheless, that is what we had to do, it was horrible."

But to the owners' delight, just two hours after they set off to Leicestershire, they received a telephone call from a Silsden resident and her daughter.

Mr Law said: "A Mrs Kitsall asked Have you lost a parrot? Because it is sitting on my garden fence', and I gave her instructions down the phone how to get Ruby into the kitchen, where she sat waiting for us. When we arrived back, nearly two hours later, she went mad when she saw me.

"She flew to my shoulder with the tightest grip she's ever had."