BUTLER TWP — In a house on Greenhill Drive, a beloved parrot that many people thought had long since died lives into his old age.

He is Charlie, a 55-year-old Yellow-Crowned Amazon Parrot, identifiable by his yellow head and green body.

Charlie lives with the Wetzel family, which includes Gerald and Kathleen Wetzel and their son, Steven, but he has a long story before he ever reached their household.

Charlie's youth lives in the minds of an older generation of Butler residents. He gained his fame from his regular presence among the staff of the F.W. Woolworths Department Store on Main Street, which closed in the 1990s.

The store is where Charlie's story began. He hatched in March of 1961 in the store's pet department, where he would meet his longtime companion, Verna Weisenstein.

Weisenstein cared for the bird through her 35 years at the store before she retired. When the store closed, the manager gave her Charlie to keep.

Gerald Wetzel said Weisenstein visited Charlie once while Steven was in college. The bird had already been moved into a new cage, placed in Steven's room, where the setup still is today. The bird nipped at her.

Despite the bite, Charlie still made an appearance in Weisenstein's obituary.

Steven Wetzel now handles most of the care that Charlie requires to stay healthy and vocal while others have a hard time getting near the bird, much less handle it. Steven Wetzel said Charlie nips at everyone else, and even his father admitted that he is no exception either.

Charlie doesn't have many health issues, and most of the bird's problems are age related.

Charlie is less active in his old age, rarely taking to the air, if ever. Charlie mainly moves on the ground by running around the house, and because of his territorial nature, he will chase on foot anyone who annoys him with their presence.

Steven Wetzel said Charlie's chasing applies to their cats too. The Wetzels own three cats, all of which have learned to keep their distance from the bird, but altercations occasionally do occur.

Charlie, like most parrots, enjoys vocalizing, especially his laughter, which can sound both menacing and delightful, depending on the context.

Gerald Wetzel said still has an eerie feeling when Charlie laughs at just the right moment in a conversation.

Charlie's favorite phrases are “Hello” and “Whatcha doin,'” which were picked up from the many phone calls Weisenstein made while near the bird.

“Charlie picked up one side of a telephone conversation,” Gerald Wetzel said.

The phrases from the store are simple, but heavy in content.

According to Gerald Wetzel, when Charlie says short clear phrases, they are usually ones he learned from girls, but boys are responsible for the colorful language Charlie uses through a hushed tone. Gerald Wetzel said the boys from the junior high school used to whisper the dirty phrases, so they wouldn't be overheard by the store's attendants.

“When he's whispering, he's whispering profanity,” he said.

A bird living this long may be hard to believe, but sites like Animaldiversity.org list Charlie's species at a life span of 56 years. His birthday is in March.

According to the site, little is known about exactly how old parrots reach.

“In captivity large parrots can live for up to 100 years,” the site said.

Gerald Wetzel said they will do what they can for Charlie while he lives under their roof.

He said many people still ask about Charlie because he remains a great nostalgic piece of Butler County history for as long as he lives, and maybe beyond.

Gerald Wetzel said people should know that the bird still lives.

“Charlie is almost eligible for social security,” he said. “He is alive and well.”