Edward's depiction of a parrot in a fruit [cherry] tree has yet to be conclusively identified as any one specific species. Edwards described a number of parrots, parakeets, and other brightly-colored birds, such as lories, in his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, but none of those birds match the appearance of the parrot in this drawing, which has distinctive red and green plumage. Catesby included two parrots, the Carolina Parrot and the Parrot of Paradise, in his The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, but neither of these appears to be the basis for this particular drawing. Edward's renderings of the other parrots and parakeets that appear in his four volume work often made use of a cherry or fruit tree as a prop.
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3380 Ashley River Road
Charleston, SC 29414
Drayton Hall's main house and landscape are open to the public weekly Wednesday through Monday from 9 am to 5:00 pm (gate closes at 3:30 pm). CLOSED on Tuesdays. The gate will accept no cash transactions.
