The Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise, produced by Walt Disney Pictures, is known for its exciting high seas adventures, swashbuckling pirates, supernatural elements, and memorable musical scores. An iconic part of the Pirates films is the chattering parrot named Cotton’s parrot, who accompanies the mute pirate Cotton. This colorful bird utters some of the most famous and amusing lines in the movies. So what does Cotton’s parrot say in the Pirates of the Caribbean films? Let’s take a deep dive into the squawking bird’s most memorable quotes across the five films in the franchise.
What does the bird say in The Curse of the Black Pearl?
In the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Cotton’s parrot makes multiple memorable appearances alongside his owner. Some of the parrot’s most notable lines in The Curse of the Black Pearl include:
“Awwk, wind in your sails!”
The parrot wishes the crew good luck saying “Wind in your sails!” as the Black Pearl sets sail under Captain Barbossa’s command early in the film. This line becomes one of the bird’s catchphrases throughout the series.
“Awwk, shiver me timbers!”
When the cursed pirates of the Black Pearl attack Port Royal, the parrot alarms the townspeople by screaming “Shiver me timbers!”, warning them of the pirate attack.
“Awwk, any port in a storm.”
As Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swann stand surrounded by cursed pirates, the parrot wisely says “Any port in a storm”, meaning they should accept whatever escape or refuge they can find in their currently dangerous situation.
Random pirate phrases
Throughout the film, the parrot also randomly blurts out various pirate phrases like “a gull, a gull!” and pirate clichés like “walk the plank!” and “dead men tell no tales!”. These oft-repeated pirate birdisms help characterize Cotton’s parrot as a true pirate’s bird.
What does the bird say in Dead Man’s Chest?
In the second Pirates film, Dead Man’s Chest (2006), Cotton’s talkative bird returns with more memorable phrases, including:
“Awwk, don’t eat me!”
When Jack Sparrow is recruiting sailors in Tortuga, Cotton’s parrot begs “Don’t eat me!” as it eyes Jack’s peanut in fear. This becomes a humorous callback later when Jack escapes from Cannibal Island.
“Awwk, wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!”
The parrot cheers the crew on again saying “Wind in your sails!” enthusiastically as the Black Pearl sails on its mission to find the Dead Man’s Chest.
Irritating Jack Sparrow
While held prisoner on the Black Pearl, the parrot annoys Jack by repeating “Awwk, Jack Sparrow!” in a mocking tone. It continues pestering Jack by saying things like “Don’t eat me!” repeatedly.
Squawking loudly
When the Kraken attacks the Black Pearl, the panicked parrot flies around the rigging squawking loudly and frantically, adding to the chaos.
What does the bird say in At World’s End?
At World’s End (2007) has the bird piping up with more witty phrases relevant to the plot:
“Awwk, abandon ship!”
As the crew abandons ship when the Kraken attacks again, the parrot fittingly warns “Abandon ship! Abandon ship!”
“Awwk, parley?”
When Elizabeth negotiates with Cutler Beckett, the parrot asks “Parley?” reminding them of the pirate code they are meant to follow.
“Awwk, fire!”
During a battle scene, the parrot helps out by calling “Fire!” to direct the cannons.
Chattering in the background
Throughout the film, Cotton’s chatty companion can be heard chirping and squawking piratey phrases in the background.
What does the bird say in On Stranger Tides?
The fourth Pirates movie, On Stranger Tides (2011), has less screen time for Cotton and his parrot, but the bird does exclaim:
“Awwk, shiver me timbers!”
The parrot startles Angelica by popping up and squawking its signature “Shiver me timbers!” quote.
Random pirate phrases
In the background, the parrot can be heard spouting random pirate words and phrases befitting its swashbuckling character.
What does the bird say in Dead Men Tell No Tales?
Lastly, in Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017), the fifth movie in the franchise, Cotton’s vocal companion returns for more fun lines:
“Awwk, treasure!”
When the crew finds the trident’s location, the parrot excitedly screams “Treasure!”
“Awwk, splice the mainbrace!”
At the end of the film, the parrot celebrates their victory by calling “Splice the mainbrace!”, nautical lingo to indicate having an alcoholic drink.
Random nautical phrases
As usual, the chatty bird continues spouting various pirate idioms and seafaring terms in the background.
The parrot’s top 5 most repeated lines
Having appeared in four out of the five Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Cotton’s parrot has repeated certain catchphrases over the years. Here are the feathery pirate’s top 5 most common lines throughout the franchise:
| Line | Number of times said |
|---|---|
| Awwk, wind in your sails! | 6 |
| Awwk, shiver me timbers! | 5 |
| Awwk, don’t eat me! | 3 |
| Awwk, Jack Sparrow! | 2 |
| Awwk, abandon ship! | 2 |
Why does the parrot talk like a pirate?
Cotton’s parrot speaks with a distinctive pirate accent and vocabulary for a few possible reasons:
It picks up speech from the pirates
Living among pirates likely caused the parrot to mimic their specific jargon and speech patterns. Much like a real-life parrot, it repeats the phrases it hears most often from its pirate crewmates.
To contribute to the pirate aesthetic
Having a pet parrot fits the pirate theme and makes Cotton seem more like a stereotypical swashbuckler. The writers likely gave the parrot pirate lingo to play up the pirate genre and characterization.
For humor
A bird randomly squawking pirate phrases adds an element of humor and levity. The contrast between the parrot’s tough pirate talk and its cute, colorful appearance heightens the comedy.
To function as a non-speaking character’s voice
Since his owner Cotton cannot speak, the parrot essentially serves as his voice, allowing him to still contribute fun pirate flavor to scenes.
Conclusion
From “wind in your sails” to “abandon ship”, Cotton’s chattering parrot is an iconic part of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. With its feathery pirate accent and characteristic speech, the bird delivers some of the most memorable laughs and lines. Though a relatively small role, the swashbuckling parrot adds colorful pirate ambiance, humor, and fun vocalizations that have become an integral part of the films’ unique style and appeal to fans. So the next time you watch the Pirates movies, listen closely to this seafaring feathered friend shout fun pirate phrases!
