Get up early in the morning and have a cup of coffee. It’s going to be a long day, so place your Parrot on a perch nearby to keep you company while you prepare the meal.

1. Place roasted turkey on a large platter, and cover beak marks with strategically placed sprigs of parsley.
2. Put mashed potatoes into serving bowl, re-whip at last minute to conceal beak marks and claw prints.
3. Place pan of sweet potatoes on sideboard, forget presentation as there’s no way to hide the areas of missing marshmallows.
4. Put rolls in decorative basket, remove Parrot from side of basket and return him to perch.
5. Remove beaked rolls, serve what’s left.
6. Set a stick of butter out on the counter to soften. think better and return it to the refrigerator.
7. Wipe down counter to remove mashed potato claw tracks.
8. Remove Parrot from kitchen counter and return him to perch.
9. Cut the pie into serving slices.
10. Wipe whipped cream off Parrot’s beak and place large dollops of remaining whipped cream on pie slices.
11. Whole slices are then served to guests, beaked-out portions should be reserved for hosts and hostesses.
12. Place Parrot inside cage and lock the door.
13. Sit down to a nice relaxing dinner with your family – accompanied by plaintive cries of “WANT DINNER!” from the other room
14. I wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving with their families and birds!

Photo credit: Anna Sloan

Author Patty Jourgensen specializes in avian health, behavior and nutrition and has been working with and caring for rescue birds since 1987.