Kanpur: Most missing-parrot searches probably end with a few whistles and a hopeful glance at the nearest tree. Not this one. For 24-year-old Arjun Joshi, finding his runaway bird means hoardings across town, social media appeals and a Rs 50,000 reward for its safe return.After his beloved pet parrot flew away, Joshi, a resident of the Kanshiram Colony in Chhibramau, Kannauj, covered parts of the town with hoardings asking people to help bring his feathered friend home. He is also turning to social media in the search. The offer is Rs 50,000 for whoever returns the parrot and Rs 10,000 for useful information that helps locate it.According to the posters, the parrot flew away on Sept 14 and has not returned since. At the bottom, Arjun has even printed his home address and mobile number—just in case someone spots his runaway companion.The bond between the two goes back to 2012, when Arjun found the parrot injured on a road in Khalla village. He took it to a veterinarian, got it treated and, once the bird recovered, decided to keep it. The parrot, however, apparently preferred an open-air lifestyle and spent more time outside than inside its cage.Then came Sept 14. A cat entered the house, frightening the parrot into taking flight. And this was no ordinary pet bird, according to Arjun. The parrot could talk, which made him even more attached to it.Since then, Arjun has been searching continuously, posting videos and appeals on social media—but so far, there has been no sign of his missing bird.The parrot had its own way of demanding dinner, calling out for food in its distinctive voice. It could even say Arjun’s name. Now, without the bird around, Arjun says things simply do not feel the same.His search for his talking parrot has also become a talking point among locals. On social media, Arjun has shared several videos of the bird showing off its vocabulary. In one video, the parrot can be heard repeatedly declaring, “Mitthu is hungry.”
