Parrots are an interesting case. The way they can talk like us, I mean. One wonders, at first blush, how that ability evolved in the wild. Of course it's not human speech that arose in parrots (or myna birds or ravens) but rather a talent at mimicking in general. Still, that mimicry when applied to us can be eerie. Are they onto us?
I met a parrot today. Hope to relate that story, here and/or elsewhere, in the near future.
2 comments:
The parrot I remember us meeting a long time ago was the one belonging to Chris, Susan and Teddy at their loft in NYC. I don't recall it saying much (although it may have done), but what I do remember is that it made very loud squawks and like nothing better than to stick its enormous tongue in one's ear - never an expected event.
When I watched this one I couldn't help but remember Captain Flint, Long John Silver's parrot whose favorite phrase was 'pieces of eight!' That was definitely one of Robert Newton's best roles - certainly a memorable one. We saw him in Oliver Twist playing Bill Sykes just a few weeks ago (youtube came through again).
Oh wow, that is a good catch. I had totally forgotten they had a pet parrot. Not too surprising that it didn't talk much. Some are better at it than others. Of course their bird may have been shy around new people too.
The idea of pirates keeping pet parrots is one of those things that, once you've grown up and learned a few things, seems like it must have been fabricated. But apparently it really did happen back then. Macaws and other parrots were handy status symbols for one thing. Robert Newton looked interestingly similar to Bob Hoskins. And that's a good version of Oliver Twist. It's the same movie, of course, where Alec Guinness plays Fagin.
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