A foul-mouthed pub parrot has been ruffling the feathers of locals after picking up on their bad language.

The bird used to be shy, but now swears and tells customers ‘you’re barred’ at The Clifton Hotel in Cardiff – often while stealing the bobbles off their bobble hats.

Rio, a two-year-old South American Macaw, likes to make his presence known by squawking a string of obscenities at punters.

The pet has lived with The Clifton’s landlady since he was a chick and learned his x-rated chat from regulars.

And the local celebrity has even been taking on the role of pub security – telling unsuspecting punters ‘you’re barred.’

The Clifton Hotel’s landlady Kerry Chapman, 53, said: ‘Rio greets people when they come in but he then tells them to f*** off.

‘He’s said much worse like ‘You’re a w*****’ and ‘You t***’. He’s told people ‘you’re barred’.’

Ms Chapman bought Rio from a pet shop when he was six-weeks-old and took him to Adamsdown when she became the landlady of The Clifton two years ago.

‘He was shy then, but now he’s got a foul mouth,’ she added.

‘He often takes people’s bobble hats and rips them up with his beak, but no one ever gets annoyed by him.

‘People from all over Cardiff visit just to see Rio. Regulars love him too.’

Joe Relvas, 67, nicknamed ‘The Parrot Man’, is one of the regulars who has developed a close bond with Rio.

He said: ‘I don’t know why but Rio loves me when I come. He gets jealous when I speak to other drinkers.

‘Everybody in the area knows Rio. He’s a beautiful creature. Sometimes he says to me ‘Wassup!’, but he then tells me to f*** off too.’

Another regular, Larry Green, 48, has been coming to the Clifton with his family since he was eight-years-old.

He said: ‘My five-year old Bulldog, called Chaos, used to just sit down and stare at Rio. He didn’t know what he was and they didn’t get on but he’s fine with him now.

‘A regular called Tony comes in and sits in the corner. He’s got a distinctive laugh which Rio overhears and repeats. Tony then tells Rio to shut up, but Rio tells him to ‘f*** off’.’

‘Before, my Bulldog, Chaos, didn’t get on Rio but he’s fine with him now.’

Landlady Ms Chapman is considering moving pubs and if so would have to sell Rio – who is worth around £4,000 – if she moves pubs.

She worries customers at potential new pubs might not warm to the parrot in the same way The Clifton’s punters have.

However, she says Rio would always be part of her life.

‘He is a stunning, amazing a**hole,’ she added.