THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Speak Up

TRENTON, N.J. - Cries for help inside a Trenton, N.J., home turned out to be for the birds.

Neighbours called police Wednesday morning after hearing a woman's persistent cry of "Help me! Help me!"

Officers arrived and, when no one answered the door, they kicked it in to make a rescue. But instead of a damsel in distress, they found a caged cockatoo doing a convincing imitation.

It wasn't the first time the 10-year-old bird named Luna said something that brought authorities to the home of owner Evelyn DeLeon.

About seven years ago, the bird cried like a baby for hours, leading to reports of a possible abandoned baby and a visit to the home by state child welfare workers. But it was only Luna practising a newfound sound.

DeLeon says her bird learns much of her ever-growing vocabulary from watching television, in both English and Spanish.