Ungrateful parrot stuck in tree screams profanities at firefighters during 6-hour rescue operation in Gothenburg
"F*ck you!" Not exactly the gratitude Gothenburg firefighters expected when rescuing a stranded bird.
An Unexpected Rescue Mission
What started as a routine day for the Greater Gothenburg Rescue Services quickly turned into one of their more memorable shifts on Wednesday evening.
While responding to another call in the Kortedala area, firefighters spotted something unusual – a colorful parrot perched precariously on a thin branch, seemingly unable or unwilling to move.
Team leader Denny Mausch explained the situation wasn't technically part of their official duties.
"It's not really part of our mission to retrieve animals that are stuck, even though it's easy to believe that. But if we can help, we will," said Mausch.
Little did they know, this particular rescue would test both their climbing skills and their tolerance for verbal abuse.
A Bird in Distress... With an Attitude
The parrot had managed to get itself stuck approximately five to seven meters up in the tree.
According to Mausch, it had chosen "the narrowest stick it could reach" to perch on, making the rescue particularly challenging.
One brave firefighter scaled the tree to attempt the rescue, likely not anticipating the reception he'd receive.
The bird had apparently been stranded since around 4 PM, and as the hours dragged on, its mood seemed to deteriorate significantly.
By the time rescuers arrived, the parrot was clearly not in the most cooperative state of mind.
A Challenging Standoff
As darkness began to fall, the rescue operation grew more complex.
The parrot's owner, who had arrived at the scene, informed firefighters that these birds typically fear the dark – explaining why it remained frozen in place despite their rescue attempts.
Hours ticked by with little progress. The bird remained stubbornly perched on its branch, refusing all conventional rescue methods.
The situation had become something of a spectacle for local onlookers, with the rescue operation stretching from early evening well into the night.
By 10 PM, six hours after the bird was first spotted, firefighters were still attempting to coax it down.
Colorful Language and Unconventional Methods
It was during these repeated rescue attempts that the parrot revealed its impressive vocabulary – though not one suitable for younger audiences.
"I heard from my colleagues that it screamed 'f*ck you,'" Mausch recounted with a laugh.
Despite the verbal abuse, the firefighters persisted in their efforts to bring the foul-mouthed bird to safety.
With conventional methods failing, the rescue team had to get creative.
That's when the parrot's owner revealed their secret weapon – something so unexpected it might just work where all other attempts had failed.
The Surprising Solution
After six hours of failed rescue attempts and colorful profanities, the solution to luring down the stubborn, swearing parrot turned out to be remarkably simple: cigarettes.
The parrot's owner produced a pack of cigarettes, which apparently proved irresistible to the bird.
"I heard that they managed to lure it down with the cigarettes. I don't know the truth of all this, but that's what I got," Mausch explained.
The cigarette bribe finally succeeded where firefighters' best efforts had failed, bringing the hours-long ordeal to an end around 10 PM.
Upon finally descending from its perch, the ungrateful parrot showed further displeasure by biting its owner several times.
Despite the bites, profanities, and the unusual rescue method involving cigarettes, Mausch remained positive about the experience.
"It's actually something that brightens up your everyday life," he said of the unusual rescue operation.
Thankfully, no humans or birds were seriously harmed during the incident – though the firefighters' ears may have needed a good washing after enduring the parrot's colorful vocabulary.
