Lost bird tells police his address

Clever bird: A pet parakeet has been reunited with its owner after it told police its home address. Image by Maury McCownA lost pet parakeet has been returned to its owner after it told police its home address near Tokyo.

The male bird had escaped early on Sunday morning from its owner's home in the city of Sagamihara, west of Tokyo. It remained at large before perching on the shoulder of a guest staying in a nearby hotel.

Handed over to local police, the bird did not speak until Tuesday evening, when it blurted out the names of the city and district where its owner's house is located, said a spokesman for the north Sagamihara police station.

It then produced the home's block and street number for a trio of astonished police officers.

The bird's owner, a 64-year-old woman, once lost another parakeet after it flew away and was determined to prevent a repeat, the spokesman said.

"So the owner decided to teach the address to this parakeet after she bought it at a pet shop two years ago," he said.

"The bird's name was found to be Piko-chan as it said, 'You're pretty, Piko-chan'."