All the birds sing words

Peglegged Pete was an original, a pirate’s parrot to be sure. Before the 2006 refurbishment of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction Pete (or Polly, depending on your source for the parrot’s name) perched atop a pillar just outside of the entrance beckoning guests inside with whistles and other pirate speak, as well as with his trademark song, “Yo Ho! Yo Ho! A Parrot’s Life for Me.” He was impossible to overlook. Not only was Pete brassy and loud, he also had a distinct look. A green parrot, complete with hat, scarf, pegged-leg, eye patch, and a shaved chest tattooed with an anchor.

For a while after the refurbishment that added Captain Jack Sparrow to the attraction was complete, it seemed that that salty dog (err, parrot) Pete had retired. However, like most pirates, he found giving up the life a bit too difficult, and retired life too tedious. And so he has rejoined us, albeit in a lesser capacity. These days if you’re looking for Pete, don’t bother searching the dimly lit hallways of Pirates of the Caribbean. Don’t even buy a ticket and look in the various theme parks. Nope, Pete has taken up residence in Downtown Disney’s World of Disney, in the pirates’ section of the store, of course.

I miss Pete calling to me as I walk the alleys of Adventureland, and wish that he would fly over for a spell. But it’s good to know you can’t keep a good pirate parrot down, even if you take his leg, eye, clip his wings, and make him settle for an early retirement.