$600 reward for alexandrine parrot who escaped from Marrickville

IF you find Cookie the parrot don’t be put off if he tells you to f**k off — he does not know what it means and his owners desperately want him back.

Cookie ran off with the rainbow lorikeets but he is not used to life on the wild side.

IT’S a rare bird indeed that enjoys watching rugby league on TV, squawking “try!” and imitating the ref’s whistle.

Or riding around like a jockey perched on the head of the family dog.

Or taking a shower on the shoulder of her owner, or eating chicken drumsticks, beef noodles, boiled eggs and toast with peanut butter.

Cookie is such a bird, which explains why her Marrickville owners, Lisa Evans, her husband Jason, and son Ayden, are so distraught that their beloved pet is missing.

L to R: Lisa Evans and her son Ayden Petersen -10 with the empty cage of their beloved Alexandrine Parrot "Cookie" who flew away last week. Picture: John Appleyard

The two-year-old Alexandrine parrot flew off unexpectedly last Tuesday morning while being transferred to her outdoor cage, joining a flock of rainbow lorikeets swooping by, and has eluded them ever since.

Alexandrine parrot Cookie knows plenty of tricks.

They love Cookie so much that they are offering a $500 reward for her return.

Their neighbour Gail Kinghorn loves Cookie, too, and is offering a further $100, boosting the enticement to $600.

“She is very special and we just want her back,” said a teary Lisa.

“I think she is really half bird and half person.

“We let her roam around the house. She loves the kitchen sink and on hot days will take a bath in there.

“Sometimes she will share her peanut butter on toast with Tigger (the family’s English Staffie). Tigger knows she is gone and just walks around the house crying for her.

“She has eaten our wooden blinds and photo frames. She has destroyed my house but I don’t care.”

Lisa Evans and her son Ayden, 10, look into the empty cage of their beloved Alexandrine Parrot "Cookie" who flew away last week. Picture: John Appleyard

Lisa doesn’t believe Cookie is capable of flying very far. She has been roaming the streets, putting up posters and blowing a referee’s whistle to attract Cookie’s attention, so far without luck.

Cookie is so trusting that she will put her head inside Jason’s mouth and say things like “I’m a pretty girl” and “Give us a kiss”.

Lisa frets that Cookie would not see danger “because she has never known danger”.

Cookie has one other talent - swearing. But Lisa advises anyone finding the parrot not to be offended if they are told to “f... Off” because Cookie has no idea what it means and says it in the sweetest way.

The dark green parrot with a red beak has a silver ID band on one leg inscribed with the number 41.

Anyone with information can contact Lisa and Jason on 0431 573 874 or 0421 071 757.