[The shelter said the birds were handed over in "a very unhealthy situation". (Photo by= DETROIT ANIMAL WELFARE GROUP)]

A US animal shelter said it was in shock after more than 800 parakeets were surrendered to them. "A Christmas present we were not expecting," the Detroit Animal Welfare Group wrote on Facebook, BBC said.

The birds were delivered in two batches by their owner's son, who had kept them in one room in what the shelter described as "a very unhealthy situation." "The irresponsibility of the owner is infuriating," the group wrote. The first 497 birds - crammed into seven cages - were dropped off on 23 December. The owner's son then returned on Boxing Day with a further 339. "We were in shock," the group wrote, "but could not turn them away." Kelly LeBonty, the rescue group's director, told the Detroit Free Press that the son said his father had initially planned to breed only a handful of birds but had ended up spending $1,200 (£890) a month on them.

"They were barely moving. We had to get them out and into different cages," she said. The group said the parakeets - a species of parrot - will be put up for adoption after a veterinarian assesses them. It added that "owning a parakeet is a 6-15 year commitment". "As any pet, they should be part of the family."