Published Date: 28 July 2008
By Kirsty Beever


TWO pet parrots are to be parted from their owner after neighbours complained they caused too much noise.
Dumpling and Scarlett's calls of "hi" and imitation of nearby sounds were found to be a nuisance by Scarborough Council officials.

Owner Adrienne Cumming has now been served a noise abatement order which says the noise must be reduced within weeks.

If she does not comply she could face a £5,000 fine.

Mrs Cumming, of Seamer Road, does not want to say goodbye to her two pets she has had for nearly 20 years.

She said: "I can't see what the problem is. All they say is 'hi' or make kissing sounds. And Scarlett is on eggs now. I don't want to have to take her away from them."

Because of the disagreement, she and husband Donald have now decided to sell up and move to Spain.

An officer sat outside her house for a number of hours recording the types of sounds the two red-sided eclectus parrots made, which are kept in an aviary in the back garden.

Mrs Cumming said: "The officer said to me that they mimicked machinery noise, like the roadworks outside the house. But I said to her, they're not doing it any louder than the machinery itself."

Mrs Cumming has been able to find a temporary home in Osgodby for the two birds.

The Cummings' next-door neighbour, David Barker, 74, said he was perfectly happy with the parrots. "I rather like them. I think it is outrageous that someone can make so much trouble for a decent neighbour and drive them out. It is a waste of public resources."


"My officers have heard the birds calling and are quite satisfied that they cause a nuisance, and having tried to resolve the problem informally, we were eventually obliged to take formal action. We understand that Mrs Cumming is taking advice from experts as to the ways the noise might be reduced and we trust she will be successful."

You've got to be kidding me. Sometimes people have nothing better to do than complain. It must be nice to just pack up and move to Spain though!

I guess I'm lucky.
Neighbors on one sid have three birds themselves.
Neighbors on the other side love to hear my birds.
No neighbors behind me.

Uh-oh! Ruby and I could be in BIG trouble!

A friend of mine in Florida is going through the same thing, they are sending out investigators to see how loud the birds are. And she is in her own house!

In Spartanburg County,SC; we have a noise ordinance that states any noises heard beyond 50 ft is considered nucinece. Here also an Animal Control officer or person reporting barking/noises have to have a recording for at least 30 min straight of said noise before anything is done.

Noises heard beyond 50 ft and for 30 min straight? Half the kids in our neighborhood,mine included, would be shipped off to the pound! My kids are much louder and annoying than my birds!

You'll excuse me but you have no right right to piss your neighbors off with squawking macaws, barking dogs, or blaring music. Your rights end where they infringe on other's rights. I've kicked on many a door for blaring rap music or barking dogs and will continue to do so. I have 3 large macaws in a town home and no complaints from neighbors because I keep mine quiet. Be a good neighbor. Not everyone shares our love and we have no right to stick it down their throats. My own patience ends when my head hits my pillow.

I'll never get how people can be so self righteous about things that people have a reasonable right to be annoyed about. Macaw screams are annoying as he** I love my guys so it makes me laugh but I cringe every time they holler thinking about what my neighbors must be thinking. If you can't be a decent neighbor then move to a more secluded area. If you are not in a position to do so then you are an irresponsible bird owner and neighbor. Thankfully this lady (and I) are in a position to move but no one should have the expectation that neighbors should be subjected to irritating noise because we find it acceptable. Be courteous to yours and those around you.

Just imagine if your neighbor had straight pipes for his Harley or a very loud dog and assumed you should be OK with it.

I have to agree with Jared. As someone who has spent the last 15 years in apartments (or dorms, for that matter, as I did when I got my first budgie in '93), I've always had to take noise levels into consideration.

Don't misunderstand me: I like parrots of all sizes and noise levels. I'm feel the same way about dogs and for the most part, children That said, I do not think that a screaming 'too, a shrieking child or a howling dog is something that anyone should be subjected to for hours and hours and hours. We all know that parrots will be noisy when they want to be and dogs are much the shame. Sure, a person has a right to have a parrot or a dog but you do not have a right to subject a neighbor to the noise.

In areas where neighbors are in close proximity to each other it stands to reason that people are going to be sensitive to noise levels. There will always be a nitpicky neighbor in some neighborhoods; the type of person who doesn't like someone for no good reason at all. But there are noise complaints that are legitimate complaints.

Everyone has a right to live peaceably. I would hope that in the case of noisy pets or children (or for that matter, adults and vehicles), neighbors could try to work things out on their own before involving the municipality or the local law enforcement agency.