Neimoidian pylat bird The Neimoidian pylat bird , also referred to as pylat bird or just pylat , was a species of non - sentient avian from Neimoidia . Because of their white plumage and harmonious song , pylats were prized cagebirds among the richer members of the galactic community . The status - obsessed Neimoidians in particular considered the possession of pylats as an outward sign of power and wealth . A rare breed with red - spotted plumage also dwelled on the moon of Sojourn . The latter breed was looked at with even more envy , and the gift of one such pylat played an instrumental role in forging the alliance bewteen Darth Sidious and the Trade Federation . Biology and appearance . Pylats were medium - sized , non - sentient avians native to the mountains of Neimoidia . They had four limbs : two legs and two wings that doubled as arms , the first joint of which was tipped with a four - fingered clawed " hand . " The top of their head was crowned by a showy and prominent feather crest . Most commonly , pylats had a predominantly white plumage with colored features in the crest , cheeks and neck . They also had a long and broad tail that could be white or display darker colors . A rarer breed dwelling in the forests of Sojourn sported a red - spotted white plumage . Being birds , the pylats produced eggs that developped and hatched outside the maternal body , and were endothermic creatures , burning food within themselves to control their body temperature . Behavior . In their natural environment , the pylats used their prominent headcrests for display purposes . While they were very defensive of their territory , they were considered attractive by bird enthusiasts , and could be domesticated . Their song was very harmonious and soothing to the ears — so much that one could use the quality of a pylat ' s song to assess its general level of contentment . Pet pylats could be confined in special cages fitted with stasis field generators , although some owners would take their bird for a walk while carrying on the hand . History . The common pylat birds evolved on Neimoidia , a planet located in the Colonies region of the galaxy . The sentient inhabitants of that world , a Near - Duros species called the Neimoidians , came to associate the pylats with wealth and status , creating covetousness amongst those who did not possess such birds . Their fatty eggs were also a delicacy in Neimoidian cuisine . At some point in history , the pylat also found their way to Sojourn , a moon located in the Outer Rim Territories , where they evolved into a distinct breed . Pylats in the galaxy . Because of their white plumage and soothing song , the pylat birds were prized as pets by the wealthier beings of the galaxy . During the last decades of the Galactic Republic , a red - spotted pylat became part of a plot that ultimately sealed the galaxy ' s fate . Wishing to ally themselves with the Trade Federation in order to bring their Grand Plan to fruition , the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Plagueis had a pylat bird from Sojourn delivered to Nute Gunray , Viceroy of the Trade Federation . At first , the rare bird confused Gunray , who could not track its origin , but he was pleased with the gift and it soon occupied pride of place in his office , and Gunray savored the envy of his colleagues had for the bird . Shortly afterwards , Plagueis ' apprentice Darth Sidious — whose public face was that of Senator Palpatine of Naboo — then contacted Gunray by holo and claimed responsibility for sending the bird , which then opened a broader discussion . Because Gunray was unfamiliar with the powers of Sith Lords , Sidious threatened to demonstrate them by killing the pylat from a remote location . Gunray soon saw the advantage of complying with Sidious ' will . However , Sidious and Plagueis had actually fooled Gunray completely . It was not actually a bird from Sojourn , but rather a clone of a red - spotted pylat from Sojourn created on Kamino — one of the many tests Plagueis had the Kaminoans perform in preparation for the eventual order of an army of clones . Later , when the Federation blockaded Naboo under Sidious ' orders , Gunray had several caged pylats in the conference room of his flagship , the " Saak ' ak " . When he flooded the room with poisonous gas in a failed attempt to murder Jedi Master Qui - Gon Jinn and his Padawan , Obi - Wan Kenobi , the birds dropped dead in their cage , giving the Jedi a visual cue of the danger . Despite their long - established popularity amongst the socialites , pylat birds were never displayed at the Coruscant Livestock Exchange and Exhibition until after the establishment of the New Republic in 4 ABY . Following exhibition there , a Sy Myrthian diplomat had a pet pylat bird . The illustrious zoologist Lyrre T ' enna made on - the - fly renderings of pylats that were included in the published edition of her field guide . Behind the scenes . Several exotic cagebirds were first slated to appear in the 1999 movie . They were to appear at the beginning of the movie , during the scene where the Jedi ambassadors notice the presence of poisonous gas in the conference room . The pylats were supposed to drop dead in their cages , alerting the Jedi of the gas attack . However , the movie staff ended up judging that the presence of birds in a negociation room during a blockade did not look appropriate , and neither was the idea that Jedi needed this to detect gas . While that footage was left on the cutting room ' s floor , it was still present in Terry Brooks ' of " The Phantom Menace " , which was released shortly before the movie itself . Original production artwork by Terryl Whitlatch dated February 1997 depicted the Neimoidian birds as - like creatures displaying flowing red feathers with eye - shaped purple spots . The exotic birds cut from " The Phantom Menace " were first shown in their current appearance and identified as " pylat birds " in " " , written by David West Reynolds . According to the fan website T - Bone ' s Star Wars Universe , Reynolds derived that term from the name of Laura Pylat , one of his good friends from the . In the 2000s , Neimoidian bird cages could be purchased in the " Star Wars " - themed " Star Wars Galaxies " , but those were empty . Once again , the pylat did not make the final cut . They " did " , however , make the final cut of the 2012 novel " Darth Plagueis " , where they were mentioned by name , and were key to the first face - to - face holovid between Nute Gunray and Darth Sidious .