A SPOT of birdnapping wasn't enough to ruffle the feathers of Eric the Crazy Cockatoo.

He didn't flap when he was bundled off his perch at the Golden Days Garden Centre at Bradley Fold and into a bag by a thief.

And even during the ensuing chase when centre manager Alan Saunders and pets' assistant Warwick Dalton ran after them through gardens and over fences in nearby Little Lever, it wasn't even worth squawking about.

But when the duo cornered the parrot-pilferer, the £800 bird's reaction was as unpredictable as ever.

"When we opened the sack and put him back on his perch, he just said 'hello' to everyone, and set off laughing!" explained Warwick.

Such oddball behaviour is what staff have come to expect from the two-years old Citron Crested Cockatoo who become a major attraction in the pets' corner.

"He seems to take particular likes and dislikes to people," said Alan. "When he likes someone, he just hops onto their shoulder, make, loud caw-cawing noises in their ear, and insists on giving them a kiss.

"But he gets very annoyed if anyone tries to get him to move. And he sometimes nips people's ears.

"He gets plenty of attention, and loves human company."

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