You know how sometimes people post pictures of cute animals and caption them with “it me” ?? This is going to be one of those times.
A parrot in Seoul has been apprehended after stealing people’s coffee. As reported by The Chosun Daily, our hero bird is believed to be a Yellow-crowned Amazon parrot—or Yellow-cappuccin’ed more presciently—which is an endangered species and requires a special permit to own in South Korea. Captured earlier this month by the Korean Animal Rescue and Management Association, the parrot *allegedly* stole coffee from customers at a cafe in the Yangpyeong neighborhood in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo district. This plucky little fellow with a bright yellow head, a light green torso, and red and blue plumage had also been fed several treats by the cafe owner before being taken into custody.
These are the details as we know them, but still there is so much left unanswered. Like, what coffee did our bird buddy steal? And how? Was it a to-go cup or a demitasse that he swooped in to take? Did he grip it by the husk? Or was it more of a perch on the lip of the mug and have a few dips of the beak type deal? Also, who narc’d on our boy? If you thought you saw a bird steal a little coffee, no you didn’t!
And how does a bird develop a taste for coffee? The article notes that the parrot was well cared for, and I can’t imagine coffee is part of a healthy avian diet. And yet, the coffee shop is the first place he visited. The bird needed a fix.
Another question, one left frustratingly absent from all reporting, is which coffee shop this all took place at. Yangpyeong-dong, according to a quick Google Maps search, has so many really good options. FB Coffee Roasters for instance, would be a great choice. There’s Coffee Graffiti and Cafe Annual Leave. There’s even a vegan option, the aptly named Salon de Vegan, because I don’t know how birds feel about meat. There are a few Starbucks around, but this appears to be a parrot of taste and distinction.
And what exactly is the bird’s name? None of the reporting names the bird and so of course we’re going to take a swing. Signore Beanbeak is an option. Why not Polly Piccolo or Mr. Cuppers or Squawkcchiato?. There’s also Tim Wendelbird and Pete Kakaw-ta for the World Barista Champion inclined. You are of course welcome to suggest your own names for the coffee-stealing (alleged) bird on our Instagram, so long as you promise to behave.
All I know is, free the parrot! Let the bird have a little coffee if he wants.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
