Owner fears pet parrot may not have survived cold

THE OWNER of a “kissing” parrot which has been missing since last Sunday fears the bird may have died.

Vyonne Kleijn (46) said yesterday she did not think her South American pet, named Catch, could have survived the cold weather in Kilkenny.

The Green Cheek Conure species is a native of the Amazon Basin and would not have been able to withstand this week’s overnight temperatures which have been well below freezing.

Ms Kleijn, originally from the Netherlands, has been living in the Kilkenny village of Stoneyford for 24 years. Catch was out of his cage and escaped by wriggling though an open window last Sunday.

Yesterday she said the only hope for the bird was that he might have been found shortly after escaping and taken in. She renewed her appeal for his return and said that anyone finding a parrot could identify Catch by his distinguishing character traits.

Apart from his vivid green plumage, blue wings, a maroon-red tail and orange tips on the wing, the bird has a fondness for television shows including The Simpsons– but not news programmes.

While he "loves giving kisses", the talkative, bilingual bird might "nip" a stranger and utter the phrase Dat doet pijn– Dutch for that hurts.