BBC News Online: World: Asia-Pacific

Chinese husband runs into mynah trouble

A Chinese housewife is seeking divorce claiming the family's pet bird tipped her off about her husband's illicit affair.

The talking mynah bird reportedly began dropping clues about her husband's affair after the woman returned from a visit to her parents.

Now she is hoping the bird will be allowed to testify in her divorce hearing.

Eavesdropping

The woman from Chung Ching in south-west China is reported to have started becoming suspicious of her husband when she noticed distinct changes in the vocabulary of her pet bird upon her return home from a month-long trip.

Instead of its normal chatter, the talkative mynah bird started saying things like "Divorce", "I love you" or "Be patient".

The bird became particularly talkative whenever the phone rang, deepening the woman's suspicion that it had been eavesdropping on her husband's illicit conversations with a lover.

Bird testimony?

Now the man will apparently be getting his wish as his wife is suing for divorce.

The only question is whether the bird will be allowed to testify.

It has already visited the lawyer's office for consultations, but the woman's attorney says he is not optimistic a Chinese judge will grant her a divorce based purely on the words of a pet bird.