The Parrot Question

[Sorrelon]

I am torn apart between printed and marbled versions. While the colours on marbled ones definitely last longer, I'm going with printed ones because of the detail and distinction of face, eyes, beak etc.

I don't have any yellow, but I do still have several dark gray parrots from 80s/90s castle sets. I didn't include them because I always assumed they represented falcons or crows.

I suppose that mostly depends on with which set you got them for the first time. As for me, I got my first solid dark gray parrot with 1736 Wizard's Cart, then the second one with 6020 Magic Shop. Being pet-bird of a wizard and having a matching colour, I always thought of it as an owl, even if it doesn't look like an owl at all

It would be nice to get some updated representations of those types of birds, other than just the Lone Ranger crow.

Hey, no love for owl and seagull? Although ı agree, it'd be nice to get a better variety of birds.

[lifeinplastic]

The printed one is best by a country mile - always thought they should have made a version in blue (like a blue macaw).

[azog]

A blue one would be perfect so we can finally have a cottons parrot from pirates of the Caribbean

[Lyichir]

The print quality on the old printed parrots may not always be the best, but nonetheless they remain my favorites to this day.

Of course, the Friends parrot isn't too shabby, either!

[BrickJagger]

The printed parrot is above the others for sure. The solid one is too simplistic and the marbled one looks like a trophy.

[Dreamweb]

The printed one is best by a country mile - always thought they should have made a version in blue (like a blue macaw).

A blue one would be perfect so we can finally have a cottons parrot from pirates of the Caribbean

A medium blue one exists. It was released in two Belville sets.

EDIT: Oh, now I get it. You mean a blue one with a parrot pattern right? Well, maybe they will release it one day.

There's always the clone brand parrot if you want one.

I even have one just like it, please don't keelhaul me for this. Don't worry, I never used this in any MOC. The picture above is not mine, just found it via Google. Don't want to defend the clone brand by any means, but mine is in much better condition.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Dreamweb

[Artanis I]

If the marbled parrot had a print on the beak (how many red parrots have red beaks?) it would be better, but it doesn't. It's just a nice variety to go with the printed ones you have...

I have several of the printed parrot from early pirates sets, a few grey ones from castle, a black one and a few of the newer one from early Ninjago or POTC sets. I think the printed version should be done in a few new colours (green, blue, yellow etc) like that clone one shown above. Except better. Or print the marbled parrot with yellow or black beak, in the green/red or whatever other colour combo.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Artanis I

[Aanchir]

I generally prefer printed LEGO animals to non-printed ones. This particularly goes for printed eyes with a little sparkle in them like modern minifigure eyes have, but none of the parrots have really had that. Nevertheless, I think the printed parrot is perhaps the most "finished"-looking of these three.

Now, of LEGO parrots in general, my favorite would probably be the macaw from LEGO Friends. While its rounded shape and cutesy proportions are designed to accompany mini-dolls rather than minifigures, its colors and patterns are simply stunning!

I wonder if the LEGO parrot might be due for a substantial redesign soon. The LEGO owl, dog, horse, bear, crocodile, and now monkey have all been redesigned in some capacity. Obviously it should still be somewhat geometric so it doesn't feel out-of-place among blocky minifigures, but LEGO has shown with many of their recent animal designs that they can keep animals geometric while still making them more lifelike than their counterparts from the 90s or naughts. And now that the LEGO Group has more molding techniques in their wheelhouse like the overmolding used for various recent minifigure parts, I think they could potentially create a parrot that's even better than the classic printed one!

[Junior Shark]

Printed. Nothing beats printed!