I've heard of a stool pigeon, but a stool parrot???

 

As I'm sure most readers know, the term "stool pigeon" is used to refer to an informant who provides police with information about criminals.  I've no idea how it came to exist;  I can't imagine most pigeons I've seen sitting still on a stool where someone might sit on them!

Be that as it may, a parrot turns out to be the stool pigeon in a British case.

A loud-mouthed parrot snitched on his owner by squawking drug-dealing slang in video footage found by cops — leading to a massive crack and heroin bust in England, police said.

“Two for 25, two for 25!” the feathered rat chirped in the footage, according to cops, who said it was code for the price of dope.

A drug ring of 15 people in Blackpool was taken down by the tiny yellow bird — who was also seen in videos playing with drug money — after police seized gang leader Adam Garnett’s cellphones, according to the Lancashire Constabulary.

Cellphone footage led them to the home of Garnett’s girlfriend and number two, Shannon Hilton, where her phone featured videos that amounted to the parrot squealing.

Videos allegedly show Hilton teaching her less-than-cagey critter to say “two for 25” — apparent payment for bags of the dope — “in front of a child” and “the parrot playing with money, which was gained through their illegal activities,” police said.

There's more at the link, including a video clip showing the bird at its informative best.

Another British slang term is to "do bird", meaning to serve a prison sentence.  In this case, once the courts have had their say, that may be a rather more appropriate term than usual for the crooks concerned!  On the other hand, I hope the police will find a new (and safer) home for the parrot.  Its former owner(s) are unlikely to be feeling charitable towards it . . .  What's a witness protection program for birds called, anyway?  A bird sanctuary?

Peter