Polly

From Arthur Ransome Wiki

Polly is a green parrot, originally from Zanzibar. In Swallows and Amazons he belongs to Captain Flint, provides the green feathers for the Amazons' arrow flights and likes to say "Pretty Polly", despite Nancy's attempts to get him to say "Pieces of Eight" like a proper pirate's parrot.

Polly eventually learns this piratical skill, along with the rudiments of the multiplication table.

For the rest of the Swallows and Amazons series, Polly signs up with the Swallows as Ship's Parrot and plays an important part in several of the stories.

• See also Birds in the Books