@Lizzie, I bought the first bigger bird, not yet a parrot, with money I earned in a holiday job in a hotel. My father was not pleased at all, but I thought if I can work very long hours, I will spend the salary as I like. The bird loved my father best - they choose their favourite human.
After that, I had other birds, Auguste is the 3rd parrot and he could grow old, 40 to 45 years.
when the neighbor in Sète sold his apartment, he had a lots of visits, as he asked for a ridiculous price. I whispered to Auguste to keep quiet, as I wanted to listen to the negotiations directly before my door. (Bothered anyway, at least have fun from it).
to get a parrot quiet, ywhispering works, as he tries to mirror such a strange behaviour.
Now, he sits before the window in Paris and watches the courtyard. If someone new passes, he tells me. If the person walks where he should not, like between the bushes before the neighbour's doors, he alerts me and I send them on their way - mostly to a doctor in the opposite building.
Once, he came to me, whilst I worked on my computer, told me something and flew back on his tree. No alert, but something was going on. He insisted, so I had a look: a young neighbor practicing tai-chi or something and falling between some flower pots. Definitely a sight worth getting up from the desk 😉