A Queensland woman has posted a dating ad with a difference to social media.
Kaz Roberts hatched the plan to find love for her beloved budgie, Birdie Num Num, with the hope of passing on his "gift".
Ms Roberts said the four-year-old budgie had an impressive ability to mimic and knew more than 60 words and phrases — many of which weren't suitable to print.
"It's so inappropriate ... but it keeps me very entertained.
"I have no idea where he learnt those from."
Ms Roberts, who lives at Tuchekoi in the Gympie region, put a post online seeking a female companion for her feathered friend.
While the post attracted dozens of comments, the search is continuing.
"I'd like to keep the gene pool happening," she said.
Therapy birds help calm anxious kids
Birdie Num Num is the offspring of two therapy birds at Gympie State High School, where Ms Roberts used to work.
His parents were used as companions for special needs students.
"He's got a splayed leg... I think from when the parents sat on him," Ms Roberts said.
"No one really wanted him... I adore him. He just loves me, he just loves kisses.
"He preens me all the time, follows me around the house.
"If I walk outside he'll just hang with me, he doesn't fly away - he doesn't even have his wings clipped."
Ms Roberts said if she found a suitable mate, she'd love to train the babies to also be used as therapy birds.
"It's a great thing for kids that do have a disability and they're a bit overloaded," she said.
"Just put them down in a nice quiet area and they have to be gentle, because they've got a baby, like an animal in their hand."
Rare gift 'could' be passed on
Australian Budgerigar Society vice-president Wayne Robinson said it took "an enormous amount of time" to teach a budgie to speak, and Birdie Num Num's abilities were "very, very impressive".
"Quite honestly... it's rare," Mr Robinson said.
He said some budgies said hello or a person's name.
"And the fact that this bird now possesses that ability, it will be able to be passed on to future generations of his progeny.
"So it's not out of the realms of being able to be completed."
Ms Roberts said she had been warned by other budgie owners that adding a female to the mix could result in Birdie Num Num reverting to his native tongue.
"I don't think he would … but all I can do is try and see," she said.
"It [female bird] will have a beautiful home, it will be very well looked after, it'll go on holidays — we'll send you postcards."
