By Emily Parsons

Last updated at 13:02, Wednesday, 16 January 2013

Concerned bird lovers are urgently trying to trace the owner of a lime green parrot.

The brightly-coloured bird has been spotted in the gardens of homes in Little Corby, near Carlisle, and residents are worried for its safety.

Believed to be a ring-necked parakeet, the small bird was first spotted in a garden on Saturday. The following morning it had set up home in Libby Little’s garden, two doors down.

“A volunteer for Birdline UK Parrot Rescue in Carlisle came out and tried to catch it,” she explained. “Every time he opened the front door the bird flew away though.

“It is lime green with an orange beak. We sat with binoculars to see if it has a ring around its leg, but it wouldn’t oblige us and stay still long enough.”

Ann Conway, who runs Carlisle Parrot Rescue with her husband Joe, said: “Further south of the country there are wild colonies of parakeets, but this far north we would expect it to have escaped from an aviary or to be somebody’s pet.”

Mrs Little has removed the hanging nuts from her trees, and put them inside a large cage in the hope of enticing the bird down.

She has contacted the News & Star in an attempt to find the owner – before nature kills it.

“I was worried about the cold,” she said, “but the Parrot Rescue man said he tried to catch one a few years ago in the cold winter and it survived for months.

“However, it seems the crows might be the real problem – and we have a nunnery behind us, so we don’t want the crows to fight it for the food.”

Mrs Conway is appealing for the owner of the bird to contact Birdline UK on 0845 643 1785, who will pass on their details to her.

Alternatively, any person who manages to catch the parakeet or finds it trapped in an outhouse is also urged to call the number.

First published at 12:06, Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk