Parrot chirping 'hello' wakens Texan's home

CHICAGO: A parrot chirping 'hello' woke his Texas owner up to find, and then shoot, a burglar in his garage, police have said.

"I guess you could call him a stool pigeon," owner Dennis Baker told the Dallas Morning News.

It was the fifth time the home, which is also used as a locksmith shop, was robbed this month.

So when Baker woke to the sounds of Salvador, his Mexican Red-headed parrot, saying 'hello, hello' he knew something was wrong.

Baker grabbed his gun and shot the burglar in his garage at about 1:30 am. The man died at hospital, police said.

"I have tools in my garage, my house and my van," Mr Baker said. "They were coming here like they owned the place. I hate what happened, but somebody has to do what's necessary."

The bird also chirped 'hello' when police arrived, Baker said.

"Sometimes he says 'hi,' but you can't get him to speak on cue," Mr Baker said. "He has a mind of his own."

Texas has recently eased restrictions on people confronting intruders in their homes, businesses or cars.

They are no longer obligated to retreat before responding with deadly force.

It's hard to tell whether this is the reason behind a recent spat of home or business owners shootings intruders, said Dallas police spokesman Sergeant Gil Cerda.

"It's hard to tell how many people know the law changed," he said.