Bird Magic: Wisdom of the Ancient Goddess for Pagans & Wiccans - Sandra Kynes 2016
Parrot and Parakeet: African Gray Parrot, Yellow-Headed Parrot, American Parakeet
The Profiles
American Parakeet (Melopsittacus undulatus)
The yellow-headed parrot has been popular as a pet for several hundred years. Known as the popinjay in England until the sixteenth century, the name parrot was influenced by the French and Spanish names of perroquet and papagayo, respectively.110 The African gray parrot is considered one of the most intelligent birds. Research has shown that it has the reasoning capability of a three-year-old human. In addition to learning words and phrases, the African gray can imitate individual people’s voices and mimic a wide range of sounds, such as a telephone ringing.
The ancient Egyptians revered parrots, depicting them in hieroglyphics and mummifying them for placement in tombs. These colorful birds were mentioned in the writings of India and Persia dating back three thousand years.111 Kama, a Hindu god of love, was usually depicted riding a parrot, which linked this bird with symbols of fertility. The fact that parrots can talk contributed to their status as intermediates between people and deities. It also gave them an association with prophecy, one of which was the ability to predict rain. In most cultures, to kill a parrot was considered unlucky.
Keeping a parrot became a symbol of wealth to the Romans, who introduced these birds throughout their empire. People around the world have used parrot feathers in rituals. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the feathers and birds became prized trade items. A pirate with a parrot is not just a caricature. Pirates were fond of unusual pets and often kept parrots for show as well as to supply the booming market for these birds.
In parts of Florida and southern California, feral parrots thrive in the wild. Likewise, feral flocks of parakeets can be found in the wild in Florida. The name parakeet comes from the Spanish periquito, the diminutive of papagayo, “parrot.” 112 The only parrot native to North America was the Carolina parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis), which is now extinct. Seeing them in 1774, French explorer Antoine du Pratz called them papagai à tête aurore, “parrots with dawn-tinted heads.” 113
The familiar pet parakeet originated in Australia. British sailors who had been down under told stories about the little green birds, and in 1840, explorer John Gould (1804—1881) was the first to take a pair back to England.114 The name budgerigar was adapted from what British sailors thought they were called in Australia. Although the etymology is still disputed, one version is that the Aboriginal betchery-gah meant “good to eat.” 115
At one time in Italy, parakeets were used for divination. With potential answers written on slips of paper, the person asking a question would have the bird choose one of the papers. Like their larger cousins, parakeets can be trained to mimic sounds.
Magical Workings
Parrot is a bird of abundance echoing the fertility of its rich tropical origins. Call on parrot to grace your altar at Ostara and Beltane as well as Mabon. It can also give a boost to your creativity. Parakeet is an especially good aid for boosting love spells. Call on it for support when engaging in divination. Both birds are associated with communication and prophecy, and they can be your guides for interpreting messages and omens.
Make Connection
To connect with parrot or parakeet energy, go for a walk in a park or to a playground where there is plenty of activity. Both of these birds are outgoing, social, and playful. Close your eyes and listen, but don’t tune in to specific words or conversation. When the human noise begins to sound like raucous parrots or parakeets, the bird’s energy will have touched you. After this, you will be able to make contact whenever needed by recalling their sounds.
Associations
Parrot
Zodiac: Gemini
Element(s): Fire
Sabbat(s): Beltane, Mabon, Ostara
Goddess: Devi
Gods: Indra, Kama
Solar system: Sun
Parakeet
Element(s): Air
Bird Identification
African Gray Parrot (Psittacus erithacus)
Also known as: Congo African gray parrot
Size: 12 to 14 inches
Wingspan: 18 to 20 inches
Comparative size: Pigeon
Description: Light to medium gray all over; white mask on face; black beak; silvery-yellow eyes; bright red tail
Range: West and Central Africa
Habitat: Moist lowland forests and adjacent open land
Eggs: Off-white to buff
Yellow-headed Parrot (Amazona oratrix)
Also known as: Yellow-headed Amazon
Size: 13 to 15 inches
Wingspan: 16 to 19 inches
Comparative size: Pigeon to crow
Description: Body and wings mostly green; yellow head; red patch on wings; dark blue tips on flight feathers; yellow tips on tail feathers and red marks on the base of the outer tail; hooked beak; two toes point forward and two backward
Range: Mexico and parts of Central America
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical forests, mangrove swamps, savannah, and coastal scrub
Eggs: Glossy white
American Parakeet (Melopsittacus undulatus)
Also known as: Budgerigar, budgie
Size: 5 to 7 inches
Wingspan: 10 to 14 inches
Comparative size: Sparrow
Description: Slender body; rounded head; hooked beak; long, tapering tail; long flight feathers; black markings on the nape, back, and wings; bred for a range of colors including greens, blues, whites, yellows, and grays
Male: Blue or bluish-purple cere (bare skin above the beak)
Female: Tan, pink, or brown cere
Range: Central and Southern Australia
Habitat: Grasslands and woods
Eggs: White
Collective noun(s): A chattering or a flock of parakeets, and a flock, a pandemonium, or a prattle of parrots
110. Brodsky, Spanish Vocabulary, 320.
111. Rachael Hanel, Parrots (Mankato, MN: Creative Education, 2009), 29.
112. Brodsky, Spanish Vocabulary, 320.
113. Wells, 100 Birds and How They Got Their Names, 170.
114. Julia Barnes, Pet Parakeets (Lydney, England: Westline Publishing, 2006), 7.
115. Ibid., 6.