Parrots in Los Angeles

"You won't find any parrots if you're looking for them, but sooner or later, and when you're not expecting it, a group of wild parrots will get your attention from their loud squawking sounds from high above. Indeed, parrots from several species casually roam the skies of Los Angeles."

Parrots are thriving, eating, socializing, multiplying and having lots of fun in the trees of California. Yes, and they're going about their business in a way that suits them just fine. It appears that over the years, Los Angeles residents have built up their backyards with all sorts of landscape designs, including Zen gardens, majestic sycamores, Mediterranean style, desert cactus, essence flower gardens and more. And with the weather being so temperate, the people, as well as the birds, will take advantage of all the lush green foliage that stays green year-round.

Wild California Parrots

They are in such strong numbers that just about every Californian' has seen at least one group flying high above or roosting in a Eucalyptus tree. To date, there are no estimations on their general numbers or exact species. But one thing is for certain, they have attracted enough attention to earn the name "Wild Parrots of California."

How they were able to get to this area involves speculating on a number of ideas. Most likely they started as pets and escaped from their confines, but there are several other guesses as well.

• Fires - Fires are a common occurrence in Southern California. When fires occur in residential areas, as well as urban, some home owners may feel that the only option to saving their beloved pets is to set them free. There are several well-known fires that have ravaged California neighborhoods at about the time of their first appearances in the 1960's,.. The 1961 Bel Air fire, and others. Pasadena alone is home to hundreds of parrots, with a popular theory all it's own. When the Simpson's Nursery caught fire in 1969, they probably escaped or were released. Another Pasadena fire suggests that local Pasadena parrots are descendants of parrots that were set loose in 1959 when a fire enraged the Simpson's Gardenland and Bird Farm. The story seems fairly well accepted according to the blog at East of Allen.
• Busch Gardens - While Busch Gardens was in operation in Van Nuys, the parrot shows were the main attraction. When they closed in 1979, most of the birds were given to zoos, but some of the birds may have escaped, or were intentionally released.
• Illegal bird trade - Parrots from Mexico were in full swing for many years prior to 1982. Up until that time, U.S. citizens were legally purchasing wild parrots and keeping them in simple cages. They were not restricted as to how they must be kept. Since parrots are birds that can easily adapt and live well with humans, some pets were often given free access to roam inside their homes and backyard areas, making it easy for them to escape and fly away into open areas.
• Migrating Flight Paths - Some may have flown across the U.S. Mexico border in their migrating flight path.

Are they here to stay?

It seems that they are indeed here to stay, as some areas are protected by an Urban Bird Treaty that was implemented by the US Dept of Fish & Wildlife. So far, 31 cities across the U.S. have agreed to abide by it.

Parrot show, with a bird resting on the Anheuser Busch brewery logo.

Next, read our article on peacocks in southern California»