News RSS Feed


Totteridge woman looking for missing African Grey parrot


A TOTTERIDGE woman is desperate to be reunited with her parrot after it escaped from her home more than a week ago.

Willow, a four-month-old African Grey, bolted out of a cat flap at her owner Mandy Sutcliffe's home in Everest Road at around 12.30pm on Thursday, January 29.

Now Mrs Sutcliffe is offering a £100 reward for the bird, which is described as Grey in colour with a red tail, and around the size of a pigeon, She said: “She was a really intelligent bird. They have the intelligence of a three or four year old.

“She was very tame because she is hand reared, so I think she may well have gone down to someone who may now be keeping her.”

Mrs Sutcliffe, who suffers with ME and has kept birds for several years, said Willow's disappearance had left her depressed.

“I had only had her for a month, but we had formed quite a bond already. She used to lie on her back and play with her toys, I had never had a bird who has done that before.

“I was in the front room and heard a big thud, so I went rushing in because I thought she had flown into a mirror.

“But I saw she had gone, and the door had been closed, so I think she must have flown out of the cat flap” she said.

Willow had only been returned to Mrs Sutcliffe the day before, after escaping whilst she took her poodle puppies out to the garden.

She added: “I got her back on the Wednesday after she went missing on the Saturday.

“She was actually found in a bush in the garden of a house in Dean Gardens Rise, on the other side of The Rye.

“She has a tag on her leg which has when she was born and the initials of her breeder, so anyone who finds her can hand her into the RSPCA and they can track me down that way.”

Anyone who has seen or found Willow can contact Mrs Sutcliffe on 01494 522 432.


Your Say YourBucks

SDJones, Hazlemere says...
6:51pm Tue 10 Feb 09

i would be worried too, can parrots survive in such cold temperatures?

Reciprocity, Farnham Common says...
7:47pm Tue 10 Feb 09

SDJones wrote:
i would be worried too, can parrots survive in such cold temperatures?
I would imagine so, parrots have lots of feathers, and hopefully it will return soon.

The return of the parrot will be a welcome news story in these times of stress and strife.

MarlowTaxi, High Wycombe says...
9:17pm Tue 10 Feb 09

just had a flyer through my door someone lost a african parrot called geoge on monday 9th. they believe its around carrington and chairborough roads if anyone spots it call bob/edie on 01494 438 409 or 07812542269

OneArmJack, says...
10:50pm Tue 10 Feb 09

Reciprocity wrote:
SDJones wrote:
i would be worried too, can parrots survive in such cold temperatures?
I would imagine so, parrots have lots of feathers, and hopefully it will return soon.

The return of the parrot will be a welcome news story in these times of stress and strife.
Yes, because parrots are common in cold countries...

parrotgal, santa monica says...
2:26am Wed 11 Feb 09

This woman does not deserve to have a 4 month old parrot. She let it escape the first time and now a second time. She took no precautions to provide for its safety. I teach parrot care classes and this is the number one topic... preventing loss.

A 4 month old baby will not survive and if not with another person already, has likely become a meal for a raptor.

Sorry, but the truth hurts.

And another thing is that NO ONE should have sold her a bird that was not completely WEANED, and not force weaned. There is a law against selling unweaned babies here in the US. It should be global... Not being weaned naturally leads to behavior problems down the road.
The whole story is bad.

erm, ermsville says...
10:07am Wed 11 Feb 09

"This woman does not deserve to have a 4 month old parrot."

she doesn't anymore

Steve Totteridge Hill, says...
10:20pm Wed 11 Feb 09

Polly want's a squawk.

Your sayYour Bucks

comment Add your comment

Register for a FREE Bucks Free Press account and you can have your say on today's news and sport by adding comments on articles we publish. The best comments may even get published in the paper.

Please register now or sign in below to continue.

An African Grey parrot similar to missing Willow An African Grey parrot similar to missing Willow

Local Links

Local Information

Enter your postcode, town or place name

House prices »   Schools »   Crime »   Hospitals »