Love is in the air as romantic parrot takes flight

A parrot who “loves kissing” has gone missing from its Co Kilkenny home ahead of St Valentine’s Day.

The love bird, improbably named Catch, flew the coop last weekend to the chagrin of its owner, Dutch woman Vyonne Kleijn.

Speaking at her home in Stoneyford yesterday, she said Catch was “a real romantic” and “loved to kiss people”. Although the eight- month-old male bird had “only recently started to talk”, his vocabulary was expanding rapidly and his favourite phrases included “give me a kiss” and “night, night!”

Catch also enjoyed television and “would sit on the coffee table watching The Simpsons rolling around with laughter”. He also liked The X-Factor, but “lost interest when Jedward came on”.

The bird was not caged last Sunday and managed to “wriggle out” through a window which was slightly open. Ms Kleijn has appealed for anyone with information to get in touch and has offered “a small reward”.