A talkative parrot who was never lost for words, lost his will to talk after straying in the wilds of Cambridgeshire for four days.

According to his owner Cedric Tunnell, 66, Harley, an African Grey, loves to call them "Mom" and "Dad", could recite his telephone number and was constantly talking all of the time.

However, Tunnell said that Harley was lost for four days and believed to have wandered into the wilds were wild birds bullied him.

"Wild birds bully him and won't let him get to any food. And he isn't used to the cold. We hated Harley being out there without any friends," said Tunnell.

After four days of missing, Tunnell and his wife Margaret, 65, found Harley perched on top a BMW.

But the bird apparently was traumatized and it appears to have lost the penchant for talking.

Since the bird's return, Tunnell said Harley, who visibly lost weight during the time he went missing, had not uttered a single word.