Steve
Nichols has a way with birds.

The founder of the UK's National Parrot Sanctuary connects with them
in a way few people can understand.

Strolling through the centre at Friskney, in Lincolnshire, he can
individually name most of the 414 parrots under his care.

And like a horse whisperer who can "break" troublesome
equines, Mr Nichols has the ability to bond with the worst behaved
birds.

He says: "I have got a natural affinity with parrots... they
actually relate to me."

"When a wild creature will jump off the tree and come walking
over to you, and when it has been someone's bad pet, then I think I just
feel so special."

The majority of birds at the sanctuary are "problem pets"
which overwhelmed their owners.

Mr Nichols said increasing numbers of owners were finding their
parrots too much to handle and were surrendering them to the sanctuary.

At the current rate, he expects the sanctuary's stock to go up to
more than 1,000 birds within two years.

The influx can be put down to the rising number of parrots being
imported into the UK and the fact that the animals get more difficult to
manage as they get older.

It is noise and aggression which usually drives most people to give
up their birds.

When BBC News Online visited the sanctuary, one woman phoned Mr
Nichols about giving away her bird after owning it for just nine days -
despite paying ￡900 for it.

The bird had started attacking family members.

Mr Nichols says: "Most people just don't realize what they are
getting themselves into when they buy parrots.... they are still wild
animals and can be very difficult.



Mr Nichols changes his mobile phone ring tone every couple of days to
stop his parrots mimicking it.

"It's not like dogs which are domesticated and have been living
with humans for thousands of years."

In recent weeks, Mr Nichols has opened his sanctuary to paying
customers, mainly in the hope of raising money for his expanding
operation, which also includes a 24-hour helpline for worried owners.

"As more birds come into the sanctuary the more it is going to
cost.

"So we came up with the idea that if we show people what we do,
and they contribute by paying to come in, hopefully we can secure the
longevity of the parrots."