Oscar the parrot is barking mad!

OSCAR, the mixed-up African grey parrot looks just like any other bird of his species -- but he thinks he's a dog!

And when someone knocks at the door or rings on the phone, he barks his beaky head off.

In fact, his owner 13-year-old Nicola Round of Tottington, reckons her pet deserves an Oscar for his impersonation talent.

As well as shouting things like "Hello" and "What's Up?", six-months-old Oscar does a take-off of the family's pet Yorkshire terrier Jack. When Jack barks, Oscar joins in with a perfect mimic of the dog.

Now it's a case of "Who's a yappy boy, then?" as Oscar nearly falls off his perch with his guard-dog impression.

Nicola, who is a voluntary helper at the Tottington headquarters of the Pets in Need charity, said:"When he first started to bark we thought it was the dog.

"But then, one day when the dog wasn't even in the room, the barking started again and we realised it was Oscar.

"It's such a good copy, you can't tell the difference."