A pet cockatiel sang happy notes as he was reunited with his owner behind bars.

The male parrot bird named Whistle had to be separated from his 'daddy' when the man was arrested on drug charges in Cebu province, the Philippines.

When Whistle was taken by the man's wife to visit him in jail, the bird immediately perked up and brought a moment of happiness to the usually grim penitentiary with his singing during their heartwarming reunion.

Footage shows Whistle whistling a boppy tune while the man talked and kissed him from behind the cell in the squalid prison on March 8.

Sheila Riconalla Altubar who visited the jail for work said: ‘The inmate's wife told us that Whistle had become restless for several days after not seeing him. The bird danced and sang at the police station when he finally saw him.'

Whistle's owner began hugging and kissing the bird, which the wife said was given as a gift to him by a close friend.

Cockatiels are social flock animals. They can express themselves emotionally to others in the wild and as pets. They have the ability to read human facial expressions and body language, allowing them to respond emotionally to human handlers.