19/07/2025
A British-owned African grey parrot named Nigel went missing for four years and returned speaking Spanish. According to The Independent, Nigel disappeared from his home in Torrance, California in 2010. When he was finally reunited with his owner, Darren Chick, in 2014, his British accent was gone and he had picked up fluent Spanish instead.
Nigel was discovered by a dog groomer named Julia Sperling, who noticed the parrot speaking Spanish phrases like “¿Qué pasó?” and even barking like dogs. Sperling, originally from Panama, suspected the bird had learned Spanish during his time away. According to Animals Around the Globe, Nigel was eventually traced back to Chick through a microchip and old pet store records, thanks to the efforts of veterinarian Teresa Micco.
The story took another twist when it was revealed that Nigel had spent part of his missing years with a Guatemalan family, learning Spanish from the grandfather who had adopted him. In the end, Chick returned Nigel to that family, recognizing the bond they had formed.
