Wild parrots have been documented in California since the 1960s, but how did they get here? There are several local urban legends on that subject and the same stories always seem to crop up wherever parrots are found. Some of these urban legends edge on absurdity, like…
- The wild parrots came here on their own.
- They are all escaped pets.
- Someone is breeding them.
Other urban legends are a bit more realistic:
- There was a fire in a pet shop and rather than see the birds perish, the firefighters set them free.
- An exotic bird smuggling ring was discovered, and just as the authorities were ready to pounce, the wild-caught birds were freed.
- They escaped from an exotic-bird enthusiast’s aviary.
- An eccentric elderly individual intentionally set them free.
Aside from urban legends, some individuals have come forward to tell of actual events they reportedly witnessed.
One woman reported that in the late 1940’s, her mother would regularly fly parrots up from Mexico in her small plane. She would sell these parrots in order to pay for fuel for her return flight. The parrots where transported in small, stick cages. On at least one occasion, this woman was present when some of the parrots had broken free from their cages and were loose in the airplane. When the door to the plane was opened, a number of parrots flew away. Unfamiliar with parrot species, she sent me an old black and white photograph of her as a child and one of the parrots her family let her keep. Though the bird’s back was turned in the photograph, there was no doubt her mother was flying in Amazons.
Another woman reported that in the late 1960’s a van carrying exotic birds destined for sale was involved in a traffic accident. While visiting relatives, she heard a loud bang and when she arrived at the scene, cages had fallen from the van and birds were flying everywhere. The driver scrambled to catch as many as he could as onlookers tried to help. She couldn’t recall how many there were or if any were ever recovered, but she did say, “It was quite a sight.”
A local gentleman recounted that in 1977 or 1978, while the circus was in town, he went to visit one of his friends who was employed by the circus. He and his friend heard some of the workers yelling and screaming at each other in the next tent. One of the managers was furious, because after the morning feedings, someone had left the cage doors to the Red-crowned and Yellow-headed Parrots wide open. Seven Red-crowned Parrots and six Yellow-headed Parrots had escaped. For the three days following, this man and his friends combed the area in search of the escaped birds. They spotted a couple in a nearby park, but were never able to recover them.
From information we’ve gathered over the years and my own recollection of stories and events, Red-crowned Parrots were already here by the time the circus escape took place. Because this is the only report I have ever heard mentioning Yellow-heads in this area, I often wonder if any of our few Yellow-heads could be some of those who fled the circus way back then. Of course, I’ll never know.
Most interesting is that a flock of wild parrots can still regularly be seen in close proximity to where each of these three incidents reportedly occurred.
One thing is certain—several different events contributed to the status and distribution of wild parrots here today.
In Truth
The majority of Southern California’s wild parrots are descendants of wild-caught parrots who were imported into the United States before importation was banned and for one reason or another, escaped or were intentionally released. The survival success of some of these species may also be related to the number of imported and smuggled birds to this region.
Already well versed in their survival skills, these parrots were able to establish themselves in exotic plant-life-rich areas.
In California, the most commonly seen wild parrots are:
Red-crowned Parrots (Amazona viridigenalis)
Lilac-crowned Parrots (Amazona finschi)
Red-lored Parrots (Amazona autumnalis)
Yellow-chevroned Parakeets (Brotogeris chiriri)
White-winged Parakeets (Brotogeris versicolurus)
Rose-ringed Parakeets (Psittacula krameri)
Mitred Parakeets (Aratinga mitrata)
Red-masked Parakeets (Aratinga erythrogenys)
Blue-crowned Parakeets (Aratinga acuticaudata)
Black-hooded Parakeets (Nandayus nenday)
Less commonly seen are:
White-fronted Parrots (Amazona albifrons)
Blue-fronted Parrots (Amazona aestiva)
Yellow-headed Parrots (Amazona oratrix)
For the most part, flocks here are species specific and can be found in various locations from San Francisco to San Diego. The one exception is that of the Amazona flocks—they are mixed flocks.
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