A Clonakilty family is desperate to find their missing parrot and has appealed to the public for help.

11-year-old African Grey Kei flew from the home of the Halgreen family in Kilgarriffe, Clonakilty, at around 6.45 pm on May 12th.

The family, who moved with their parrot from Pretoria in South Africa to Clonakilty, have said the loss of Kei has deeply affected them.

‘We still haven’t found him and it’s heart-wrenching,’ said Myrna Halgreen. ‘The day she went missing I was coming back from a walk with our dogs. There were tractors coming down the road and the dogs ran into the house barking. She got a fright, the door to her cage was open and she flew away.’

Parrot Kei is described as very tame, hand-reared, ringed, microchipped and deeply loved.

In a direct appeal, the family urged for calm and vigilance: 'If anyone sees Kei, hears of anyone finding an African Grey, notices unusual grey or red feathers, or knows anything that might help, please contact us immediately.'

The Halgreens have asked locals in the area to spread the word across social media, with colleagues and friends, in community and volunteer groups, with vets and on noticeboards.

'Please do not chase her or try to grab her. If seen, please phone immediately, please keep her in sight, take a photo or video if possible, and note the exact location,' they added.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the family as soon as possible on 087 141 6953 or 087 387 8411.

African Grey parrots, known for their sharp minds, can live 40 to 60 years in captivity, compared with about 23 years in the wild.

Beyond their impressive cognitive feats, researchers in Germany have found the birds also show altruistic behaviour and concern for others.