Squawkers McCaw

**Squawkers McCaw** is a battery operated toy macaw parrot released in Fall of 2007. The toy includes a wide variety of play features which are primarily accessed through the use of a remote. It also has voice recognition and recording capabilities. Squawkers McCaw won several awards upon its release, including the NAPPA Gold Award, Walmart's Top 12 Toys of Christmas Award, Toys R Us Hot Toy Award, and the eToys Hot Holiday Toy Award. Included with the toy was a perch, a toy cracker, and a remote control device.

## Features

### Sensors and Basic Functions

Squawkers features a total of six sensors throughout its body, including a microphone and infrared sensor on its chest, a light sensor on its forehead, and touch sensors on its head, beak, tongue, and back.

Activating any of the touch sensors will cause the toy to respond by moving and making various noises. Placing one's hand over the light sensor on the forehead will cause the toy to blink. Placing the toy cracker or another object of similar size into the toy's mouth will cause it to perform a chewing motion accompanied by eating sounds. "Feeding" the toy too many times will cause it to get the hiccups, which can be remedied by activating the toy's back sensor.

### Voice Commands

The toy is also able to respond to the following voice commands:

* "Hello"
* "Give Me a Kiss"
* "Whatcha Doin'?"
* "Pretty Bird"
* "Good Night"
* "Are You Hungry?"
* "I Love You"
* "Let's Play"

### Peek-A-Boo Game

The user can initiate a game of Peek-A-Boo by cupping their hand over the toy's light sensor on its forehead and speaking the words "Peek-A-Boo!" Doing so will cause the toy to respond by saying either "I can't see you" or "Where'd you go?" Uncovering the toy's light sensor will cause the to to say either "Peek-a-boo" or "I see you."

### Modes

There are two distinct play modes that the user can activate via buttons on the remote or via voice command. To activate either of the modes using voice commands, the user must speak the words "Wanna Play?" and wait for the toy to respond "OK," after which the user may speak a further command to initiate the desired mode.

#### Dance Mode

This mode can be activated by speaking the command "Let's Dance!" after the toy has responded "OK" to the "Wanna Play?" prompt. The toy will then say "Play me some music!" and the user may play a song. The toy will detect the song's beat and dance in rhythm with it. If the user does not play music or the toy does not otherwise detect a beat, it will sing a song of its own. After two minutes in this mode, the toy will say "Awesome!" and exit Dance Mode.

#### Repeat Mode

This mode can be activated by speaking the command "Repeat After Me!" after the toy has responded "OK" to the "Wanna Play?" prompt. The toy will then say "Repeat after me!" and repeat whatever phrase the user speaks to it. After one and a half minutes in this mode, the toy will say "Awesome!" and exit Repeat Mode.

### Gags

The "Gags" feature is a mode in which the toy can be made to deliver pre-recorded phrases or via the use of the remote control. The "Gags" setting is activated by activating a switch on the remote control labeled "Gags." Once this switch is activated, the user may press any of the A-F letter buttons on the remote to elicit a specific response. The responses are as follows:

* A: causes the toy to make a started squawking noise.
* B: causes the toy to make a fart noise.
* C: causes the toy to laugh.
* D: causes the toy to whistle.
* E: causes the toy to say "Whatever."
* F: causes the toy to sing the lyrics to the pre-recorded song "Let's Rock to the Squawk Walk."

### Custom Commands

The user may also record up to six custom voice commands and responses via the use of the remote. Commands can be recorded over at any time. Squawkers may also repeat words or phrases learned via custom commands randomly during play.

## Let's Rock to the Squawk Walk

Let's Rock to the Squawk Walk is a pre-recorded song that Squawkers will sing while in Dance Mode if no music is played by the user. The lyrics were written by David Wohl and Nancy Rosenberg in collaboration with the FurReal Friends team and can be found in Squawkers' instruction manual.

### Lyrics

*To the tune of "Hot, Hot, Hot"*

"Let's Rock to the Squawk Walk!" (spoken)

Let's move our feet!

Sway to the Beat,

Singin' squawk, squawk squawk!

Lean to the left,

Lean to the right,

Singin' squawk, squawk squawk!

Turn your head, look all around.

Flap your wings, to the funky sound!

If you want to dance and rock,

Raise your beak, and give a squawk!

So we can rock, rock, rock! Yeah!

Go! Rock That Squawk Walk! Yeah!

*Chorus:*

Singin' squawk, squawk squawk!

Singin' squawk, squawk squawk!

Alright! Rock that Squawk Walk! (spoken)

## Sources

1. http://web.archive.org/web/20080122145138/http://www.hasbro.com/furreal/default.cfm?page=Products/Detail&product\_id=19354
2. https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/11429983/squawkers-mccaw-instructions-hasbro