Four years after disappearing, a pet parrot has returned home in Torrance, California, having ditched his British accent and switched to Spanish.

Nigel, an African Grey parrot, was reunited with his owner, Darren Chick, last week, the Daily Breeze reported.

It is not clear what happened to Nigel during his absence, although he now frequently calls for someone called Larry, the newspapers report said.

The bird is said to be well though it did bite Mr Chick upon their reunion.

Singing, talking, barking

The Daily Breeze said the bird was found in the garden of Jonathan and Julissa Sperling who own a dog grooming business in Torrance.

Mrs Sperling told the newspaper that when she found Nigel, "he was singing and talking without control... He was barking like the dogs. I'm from Panama and he was saying, 'What happened?' in Spanish."

Whilst looking for the bird's owner, the couple saw an online appeal from Teresa Micco, a local vet whose own African Grey had gone missing.

When she realised Nigel was not her parrot she managed to link his microchip to Mr Chick.

The shocked owner told the newspaper: "He's doing perfect. It's really weird, I knew it was him from the minute I saw him."

This is the fifth parrot reunion facilitated by Ms Micco whose own bird Benjamin has been missing for nine months.