Psittacine Performer

The New York Times, conscientious as all get out in reporting more than its readers either desire or deserve, this week gave a whole column to the vocal attainments of an African grey parrot, including printed musical notes. The parrot, named Coco and thought to be 65 years old, performs nightly in the bar of a Long Island restaurant. In his repertory are a dozen tunes (from Aida, Carmen, Peer Gynt, etc.), taught to him by the waiters, who are younger but better educated.

Coco, like many a musical amateur, forgets how the songs go after the first phrases. The tricky grace note in the eighth bar of the drinking song from Traviata stops him every time; he pauses, squawks angrily, and switches to his favorite tune, Ciribiribin. Between arias, he amuses himself by watching for a pretty girl to come in, then gives a long, deliberate wolf whistle. If the girl's escort looks angrily around, Coco screams with laughter.

On fine mornings, so the Times says, the parrot can be seen walking about the lawns, slanging songbirds, nipping a blade of grass. Nobody worries about cats: to scare them off, he yowls like a fighting tomcat. If that fails, he barks like a dog.

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