It all started in 2020, when five African grey parrots were donated to Lincolnshire Wildlife Park in Friskney, England. Billy, Eric, Tyson, Jade, and Elsie spent their quarantine together, and that’s where they learned the art of swearing.
The problem came when they were released with the rest of the colony: around 200 parrots that had never heard a swear word in their lives. It only took a few days for the five to start repeating insults in front of the families visiting the park, having the time of their lives, while laughing among themselves whenever someone was surprised. The zoo had to act quickly before the bad influence spread like neighborhood gossip.
Steve Nichols, the park’s director, explained that parrots repeat whatever gets a reaction, and that no visitor actually complained: most ended up laughing their heads off. They were separated into different areas to stop the contagion, and in 2026 Snopes confirmed that all five are still alive, having already rejoined the main flock. Now they swear from time to time, like someone relapsing into a vice they never quite managed to overcome.