Parrots, parrots everywhere (and not a wing to eat)

Today on my way home I spotted a gang gang cockatoo. This was very exciting (to me, but you can be excited too, if you feel like showing solidarity), as I have only ever seen one once before.


He looked me in the eye and made a noise like a squeaky door.

"Why are you always on your own?" I asked him. "Other parrots hang out in pairs."

"On my own?" he parroted. "Nonsense. I have a family."

"I don't believe you."

"Look behind you!" he screeched. "That's my mate. Isn't she pretty?"



"Why should I believe she's your mate?" I asked him. "For all I know, she's a random chick you pointed out because you didn't want me to think you were a loner."

At that, he cocked his head at me indignantly, and swooped down, coming so close to my head that I could feel the beat of his wings on my face.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"For being so rude as to doubt me," he squawked, his crest raised in indignation. He landed next to his mate. "Now do you believe she's with me?"


But all of a sudden my attention was caught by a squawking and a chattering coming from my right.

"Look at me! Look at me! I'm prettier than they are! They're just boring and grey! I'm all pretty in pink! Look at me! Look at me!!!"


"I don't think so, Galah," I answered. "I see you every day. But those gang gangs over there are really something special."

I turned back to my orange-crested friend. He was looking pleased with himself.

"If you really like me better than those guys, I'll show you a secret."

The gang gang made a series of his loud creaky door noises and from all directions around me the trees began to rustle. There was a swooping and a squawking and a landing and a shuddering, and when I stopped covering my face, I saw he'd been telling the truth about having a whole family.


It seemed my new friend was not a loner after all.