In this riveting episode, our hosts Alexis and Avery combine two personal favorites of theirs - American history and parrots - to explore the shockingly long list of U.S. presidents (and First Families) who kept parrots in the Oval Office! They kick things off at Mount Vernon with George and Martha Washington’s famously referenced parrot Polly, then head into the White House years with James and Dolley Madison and their own Polly the macaw who was an unforgettable guest greeter with a bit of an attitude. From there, they tell the most legendary story of all: Andrew Jackson’s African grey parrot and its funeral antics; with a few honorable mentions along the way, such as Grant’s mysterious parrot, McKinley’s “Washington Post” the Amazon, and Theodore Roosevelt’s Macaw “Eli Yale.” Later, White House birds like Eisenhower’s “Gabby” and JFK’s budgerigars “Bluebell” and “Marybelle” make appearances. Wrapping up the conversation with the last parrots to fly in the White House: Lyndon B. Johnson’s two little lovebirds. *A quick reminder when discussing topics from the past: parrot care has drastically improved in the last century. In the last 30 years alone, the scientific literature surrounding parrot care has grown infinitely compared to what was known previously. Please keep in mind Parrot Stars does not condone the manner in which many of these birds were cared for. Yet we do see the value in discussing things accurately, in other words, as they happened, to the best of our abilities. Parrots have played a significant role in our lives throughout much of human history, and the more we learn about them, the better off they’ll be everywhere! Tune in for our species spotlight featuring the Yellow-Headed Amazon (Amazona oratrix)! Always Remember: Be kind to your Parrot, and it will be kind to you! — Links: Visit Us: https://www.parrotstars.com Parrot Stars on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parrotstars/ Parrot Stars on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@parrot_stars Parrot Stars on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@parrotstars Learn More - References: Hilarie M. Hicks, “Parroting Historical Research,” Montpelier (August 13, 2018). https://www.montpelier.org/parroting-historical-research/ Laura Doering, “Presidents and Their Pet Parrots,” Pet Birds by Lafeber Co. (February 14, 2013). https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/presidents-their-parrots/ Mary V. Thompson, “Birds,” George Washington’s Mount Vernon Digital Encyclopedia. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/birds Presidential Pet Museum — photos and information about U.S. presidents and their pets. https://www.presidentialpetmuseum.com/ White House Historical Association, “President Theodore Roosevelt’s six children brought a menagerie of pets into the White House with them,” Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/WhiteHouseHistory/posts/president-theodore-roosevelts-six-children-brought-a-menagerie-of-pets-into-the-/3332079173483989/ Xander Zellner, “A Brief History of President-Bird Companionship,” Audubon (February 12, 2016). https://www.audubon.org/news/a-brief-history-president-bird-companionship Support the Parrot Stars Podcast! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2376122/support Follow the Parrot Stars Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Watch the video content on YouTube. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for regular updates about all of the outstanding things happening at Parrot Stars! Enjoy the episode? Download each one and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review! Your support helps us with everything we do and we genuinely appreciate it. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Learn more about Parrot Stars and shop online at parrotstars.com
