THE palliative powers of music are questionable but a children's CD seems to have turned a biting, feather-plucking parrot into the perfect companion.
Lucy is the happiest Macaw in Harpenden after her owner Annie Simmons bought her the Silver Balloon children's soundtrack.
She is a changed parrot. Before hearing the CD she was so depressed that she would pluck out her own feathers and used to bite her owners. Annie said: "She's so amazing compared to when we first got her. She was evil when she first arrived."
The perky parrot now sings along to her favourite songs and has even started a little bit of birdy break-dancing.
Silver Balloon are personalised, name specific CDs for children and Lucy is not the only fan - the songs can allegedly be heard in Beckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street.
Annie (pictured with Lucy) explained: "Lucy used to be a nasty girl. We were bitten most days and she loved to wreck the woodwork. Then one day I went to buy my grandchildren Silver Balloon CDs and I decided to buy one for Lucy too. It has helped immensely, why I don't know but now she's my best friend."
Lucy will now not go to bed until she has heard her favourite song, Space Man, and mornings are not the same unless she has listened to Wake Up Lucy.
Annie, who used to be an animal welfare technician, took Lucy in after her previous owners were unable to look after her.
To see a video clip of Lucy shaking her tail feather visit www.hertsad.co.uk and for more information on Silver Balloon visit www.silverballoon.com
