Harry the lovesick parrot can't stop throwing up
Harry the African Grey parrot could not stop throwing up.
He did it most of all when his owner, David, was about. The vomiting got so bad that David took Harry to Belfast vet Dan Flynn.
It was a puzzle. Harry was bright-eyed and shiny-feathered.
He wasn't a sick parrot, Dan discovered, he was a lovesick one. The one who had his heart was owner David.
Sadly, for a parrot, love means chucking a miniature bucketload on the one you love.
"Birds regurgitate as a sign of affection," Dan Flynn explained.
"It is quite well documented. Regurgitation and vomiting is a normal procedure for a bird.
"The father will regurgitate for its young when they are little chicks."
But how to solve the sick parrot dilemma?
Must divorce proceedings be opened between Harry and David.
It wasn't what they wanted. So the vet had another idea.
"We suggested getting a partner for Harry to distract his attention from David."
Wham, bam, it worked.
Harry has found a new feathered friend and David rejoices in the luxury of clean shirts.