Famous S.F. birds expand their range south to Brisbane
By Christine Morente
MediaNews
09/13/2007

For the past few weeks, several Brisbane residents have heard the resounding cries of the cherry-headed conures made famous by the book "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill."

Ron Davis said the very loud red-and-green birds fly over his home on Humboldt Road and hang out briefly in his tree in the mornings.

"I run to the window to see them," he said. "I got a picture of a parrot sitting on one of the trees with a hummingbird looking at it."



According to Mark Bittner, author of the 2004 book, the conures are the same colony that he took care of from 1993 to 1999 while house-sitting on the east side of Telegraph Hill in San Francisco. His book, which chronicled those years, was followed by a movie of the same name.

Every summer, Bittner said, the males expand their range as they continue to look for food for their chicks. They've never ventured out of San Francisco until this year. Bittner estimated that there are now 200 parrots in the flock.

"Clearly, it's the same guys," he said. "Obviously, they found something they like."
That something seems to be birdseed, apples, berries and acorns.

Joe Sulley, another Brisbane resident, said the birds started coming to his home on Margaret Avenue to eat the sunflower seeds left for the blue jays.

"They tried to get the seeds, but the blue jays were being very aggressive," Sulley, 58, said. "The parrots left but came back with more of their buddies. Then they flew to the oak trees across the street."

According to Bittner's Web site, www.mark bittner.net, the cherry-headed conures are originally from Ecuador and Peru. Before 1993, people were able to import them legally into the United States; they sold for less than $100 each. The Telegraph Hill colony began with birds that escaped or were released.

Sulley said his wife, Jeri, is a big fan of the conures, and they both saw the documentary. He doesn't see them as a nuisance, even though they've been eating from the trees.

"They are quite noisy when they fly around, but I can't think right now if they would be a problem," Sulley said. "They don't fly around at night like the stupid mockingbirds. The parrots are great. I don't want them to be intimidated or afraid of the blue jays."

Bittner said Brisbane should expect the birds back next summer.

San Jose Mercury News

Awww how cool I wish I had a colony of parrots in my trees...but then again I might want to climb the trees to umm uh pet them lol...*Pokemon song running through my head*

Wow, I hadn't realized the colony was that big!

I didn't either. No wonder they're expanding their territory. Mapquest shows it at about 8 miles from S.F. to Brisbane.

LOL, that would be me too, sitting out there trying to make friends with them.

I loved the book and the movie. There was a flock of parrots living in Rehobeth Beach, DE for a few years. I always marvel that they could survive the winter.

Karen...hehe I can picture us trying to lure them down with food and treats...And the neighbors saying *crazy bird people*...Kinda like the crazy cat lady that everyone has in their neighborhood