Polly wants a cracker is a traditional phrase long associated with talking parrots, especially the colourful parrots perched on pirates' shoulders in stories, cartoons and fancy dress. Because the line is so widely recognised, short clips of it are reused online as a quick shorthand for a cheeky bird, a pirate joke or a pet asking for a treat. Creators add it to animal videos, comedy sketches and reaction edits where a familiar voice can do the joking without any explanation, which keeps this simple catchphrase in regular use across memes and short videos.