Your titles and subtitles really make the day! - But what is a cockatil? i know the australian cockaboora (our german name would be "laughing john"); in which direction i have to think?

i think they meant cockatiel

http://www.gotpetsonline.com/cockatiel/bird-cockatiel/bird-cockatiel.html

of course they could have meant cocktail. there's plenty of those in the streets of london on barmy summer eves.

i probably wouldn't bother putting a sign up if i saw one of those either though

those paper writers are geniuses.

i should also mention that when i was a kid my parents raised caged birds, and we had cockatiels named chuck and di.

did you live on/in a zoo michelle ?

everytime i put an animal related picture up you have a childhood story to tell with a fantastic associated fact (for which i am always greatful) !

Great, those comments! i am glad that i learned a new word. Just in case someone would like to know ;-), in german this bird is called Nymphensittich...

sometimes it felt like i lived in a zoo, but i think that was mostly because of my brother the monkey. ;)

we need to be a bit careful here. jane, my lovely wife, teaches people German. if they can come to this site and get words for free she might be out of a job !