Pissed as a parrot and hopping mad: This cockatoo doesn’t mind a drop or two ... and also thinks he’s a kangaroo

A BOOZY bird in Palmerston has developed an obsession with wine, and often gets caught stealing a couple of swigs ... and also seems to think he’s a kangaroo

Pet cockatoo Opie has fallen in love with white wine and often gets caught stealing a couple of swigs when his owner Andrew Griffiths has guests over for drinks. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

A BOOZY bird in Palmerston has developed a bizarre obsession with wine.

Andrew Griffiths said his pet cockatoo Opie had fallen in love with wine and would often get caught stealing a couple of swigs when he had guests over for drinks.

“He’s always had a fetish for apples so one night we gave him some apple cider and he got smashed on that,” he said.

“It was a one-off but then he started helping himself to a glass of my friend’s white wine and since then he can’t get enough of it.

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Andrew Griffiths with pet cockatoo Opie. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

“You’ll be sitting there and ignoring him and he’ll sneakily crawl up on the table, reach over with his beak, hook on to the glass and pull it over towards him to have a sip. He’s the most Territorian bird I’ve ever come across.”

Mr Griffiths said Opie got a bit loose after he’d been on the booze.

“When he’s got some wine down him, he’ll start squarking, jumping around and carrying on like a flamin’ idiot,” he said.

Opie takes a sip of white wine from his owner Andrew Griffiths. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

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“He chased me around the swimming pool a couple of times. The only way you can shut him up is if you give him some salt and vinegar chips.

“I also think he’s been watching one too many episodes of Skippy the Bush Kangaroo because he jumps around with both feet off the ground at the same time. I’m convinced he thinks he’s a kangaroo.”