--- title: "About Us" canonical: "https://californiaflocks.org/about-us/" author: "Dr. John- California Flocks Expert" published: "2025-09-24T15:08:14+00:00" modified: "2026-03-29T16:21:31+00:00" language: "en-US" site: "California Flocks" description: "🦜 Our Story California's WildParrots, DocumentedWith Passion What began as a last-resort search for two escaped pet parrots became one of California's…" attribution: "California Flocks (https://californiaflocks.org/)" --- # About Us 🦜 Our Story # California’s Wild Parrots, Documented With Passion What began as a last-resort search for two escaped pet parrots became one of California’s most dedicated wildlife documentation projects. Salvatore Angius never found his birds — but he discovered an astonishing hidden world thriving above California’s cities. Over a decade of tracking, filming, photographing, and documenting has taken him to **35+ cities** across the state, where he has closely observed **13 naturalized parrot species** living wild and free — birds most Californians walk past every day without ever knowing they’re there. [🗺️ View Flock Research](/flock-information/) [📰 Press Coverage](/publications/) As Featured In [📰 Huffington Post](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/23/salvatore-angius-is-passi_n_3796349.html) [📰 Press Telegram](http://photos.presstelegram.com/2013/08/photos-the-wild-parrots-of-long-beach/) [📰 Examiner.com](http://www.examiner.com/article/california-parrot-advocate-educates-people-and-saves-lives-through-facebook) [📰 Inquisitr](http://www.inquisitr.com/581519/wild-california-parrots-making-baby-parrots-video/) Project at a Glance 35+ California Cities Documented 13 Naturalized Parrot Species 8 Expert Contributors 10+ Years of Active Field Research 6 Major Press Features 🌿 Founded in Long Beach, California — 2012 Who We Are ## A Field Research Project Born from Personal Loss Salvatore Angius didn’t set out to build California’s most comprehensive wild parrot database. He simply wanted to find his two escaped parrots. That last-resort search took him through neighborhoods, parks, and city skies — and while he never recovered his birds, he encountered something far larger: thriving, self-sustaining parrot colonies that had been living wild across California since the 1960s, mostly unseen and unstudied. That discovery became California Flocks. Over the following decade, Salvatore — based in Long Beach — built a documentation practice that now spans 13 species across 35+ cities, backed by hours of original video footage and thousands of photographs. What began as a personal mission became a platform, a press story, and eventually a team of eight parrot experts committed to making that knowledge available to every parrot lover in America. ✓ **Original field research** — every flock documented by Salvatore personally, on location, with video and photographic evidence ✓ **Expert-written content** — every article attributed to the specialist whose expertise matches the topic, not a generalist author ✓ **Multi-platform presence** — YouTube channel, Facebook page, and this site form a unified California parrot resource ✓ **Press-verified credibility** — featured in the Huffington Post, Press Telegram, Examiner.com and three other major publications ✓ **Available for presentations** — Salvatore conducts live presentations for civic groups, schools, and universities “While recovering his pets proved unsuccessful, Salvatore became fascinated with an astonishing new world — the world of California’s naturalized free-flying parrots.” 📸 ▶ EDIT: Add a real field photo of Salvatore here. Go to the image tag above, uncomment it, and update the src URL. 🎬 Documentary In Production A full-length documentary on California’s parrot species — their behavior, history, and stories of arrival What We Do ## Four Ways We Serve Parrot Lovers From original California field research to expert care guidance — here is everything California Flocks produces and why it matters. 🔭 ### Field Documentation On-location tracking, filming, and photographing of naturalized parrot flocks across 35+ California cities. The rarest and most original research in the California parrot space. 📝 ### Expert Parrot Guides Care, health, training, nutrition, and behavior articles written or reviewed by named specialists — each matched to their area of professional expertise. 🎬 ### Video & Media A YouTube channel and Facebook page featuring real footage of California’s wild parrot flocks — their habits, foods, nesting behavior, and seasonal activity. 🏫 ### Public Presentations Salvatore is available to present to civic groups, schools, and universities — sharing video clips, photographs, and field observations with live Q&A. Our History ## A Decade of Discovery — Year by Year From one man searching for two lost birds to a nationally recognized parrot research platform — here is how California Flocks grew. 2011–12 The Search That Started Everything Salvatore Angius begins searching for two of his own escaped parrots throughout Long Beach, California. While the search proves unsuccessful, he discovers thriving naturalized parrot colonies living wild across the city — and becomes captivated. 2012 California Flocks Launches on YouTube Salvatore begins publishing video footage of California’s naturalized parrot flocks on YouTube, documenting their habits, foods, and behavior. The channel becomes the first dedicated resource for California wild parrot video documentation. Nov 2012 First Major Press Feature Mid Valley News publishes “Cageless Survivors,” the first major press feature on the California Flocks project. Salvatore is documented having filmed 13 parrot species across 30+ California cities — the San Gabriel Valley identified as the epicenter of species diversity. Apr 2012 Bakersfield Californian Coverage The Bakersfield Californian covers the Indian Ringneck Parakeet flock — California’s only Old World parrot species — and highlights the California Flocks YouTube channel’s documentation of flocks in Long Beach, Pasadena, Orange, Downey, Malibu, Cerritos, Arcadia, and Santa Ana. Mar 2013 Inquisitr National Feature Inquisitr.com publishes a national feature on Salvatore’s documentation of Red-crowned Amazon breeding behavior — the project gains its first significant national audience online. Aug 2013 Huffington Post & Press Telegram The Huffington Post publishes “How One Man Is Saving Parrots Through Facebook” — Salvatore’s most high-profile press feature to date. The Press Telegram simultaneously covers the Long Beach Mitred Conure flock of up to 500 birds. California Flocks Facebook page launches to support photo updates. Sep 2013 Examiner.com National Coverage Examiner.com covers the California Flocks project under the headline “California parrot advocate educates people and saves lives through Facebook,” cementing Salvatore’s role as a public advocate for naturalized parrot welfare and awareness. 2014–2025 Continued Documentation & Expert Team Growth Field research expands to 35+ cities. An expert contributor team of 8 specialists joins the project. The californiaflocks.org website launches as the central hub for research, care guides, and community resources — backed by a co-founder from Lima, Peru who assists with photography and filming. Mission & Values ## What We Believe About Parrots & People “Our target is generating appreciation through awareness for California’s free-flying parrots. As these parrots are part of California’s beauty, this makes them ours to appreciate — free and naturally.” 🔬 ### Field-First Research We believe observation comes before opinion. Every claim we make about California’s wild parrots is grounded in years of personal, on-location field documentation — not secondhand reports. 🤝 ### Radical Transparency We name our authors, disclose our affiliate relationships, and credit our sources. You always know who wrote what you’re reading and why we might be recommending a product. 🌿 ### Wild Parrot Advocacy California’s naturalized parrots are often misunderstood — mistaken for escaped pets, or seen as nuisances. We exist to change that narrative through education, footage, and documented science. 🧠 ### Expert-Led Content Every care, health, training, and nutrition article is written or reviewed by a named specialist whose credentials match the topic. We do not publish content that no one is accountable for. 📡 ### Constant Monitoring Parrot populations and behaviors change constantly. We believe continuous monitoring and regular updates are the only way to keep our documentation — and our content — honest and current. ❤️ ### Community First Whether you own a parrot, spotted one in your neighborhood, or just found us searching for answers — we are here for you. California’s parrots belong to all of us to appreciate freely and naturally. How We Work ## Our 4-Step Editorial Process Every article published on California Flocks passes through the same quality process — from topic selection to expert review to publication. 1 ### Topic Research We identify topics our readers are genuinely asking about — from wild flock behavior to parrot health questions — and match each topic to the expert best qualified to address it. 2 ### Expert Assignment The article is assigned to the contributor whose expertise directly matches the subject — Kathy LaFollett for rescue, Pamela for health, Tony for training, Dr. Pepperberg for cognition, and so on. 3 ### Research & Drafting The assigned expert researches, drafts, or reviews the article with reference to current scientific understanding, field observations, and their direct professional experience with parrots. 4 ### Editorial Review & Publish Content is reviewed for accuracy, California relevance where applicable, FTC compliance, and clarity before publication. Author attribution and affiliate disclosures are confirmed before going live. A Personal Note ## From Salvatore Angius, Founder of California Flocks 🦜 “ I didn’t plan to spend a decade chasing parrots across California. It started with a much simpler mission — I just wanted to find my own two escaped birds. I searched everywhere. I never found them. But in the process of looking, I began to see something most people in California walk past every day without noticing: wild parrots. Not one or two — dozens. Hundreds. Entire colonies of naturalized flocks living freely above our cities, feeding in our trees, nesting on our utility poles, and raising their young in our neighborhoods. I became fascinated. These birds are determined survivors — they took the chaos of the exotic pet trade, escaped it, adapted to a foreign landscape, and built new lives on their own terms. I started filming them. Then photographing them. Then following their seasonal patterns. Then driving to new cities to find new species. And before long, I had documented thirteen species across more than thirty-five California cities. The Huffington Post wrote about it. The Press Telegram came out to Long Beach. Mid Valley News, Examiner, Inquisitr — they all came. But none of that changed the mission: to document these birds honestly, to share what I find, and to generate real appreciation for animals that most people don’t even know are there. California Flocks has grown beyond me now. I am proud to work alongside eight genuinely expert contributors who bring knowledge in parrot health, nutrition, training, breeding, rescue, and African parrot cognition. Their work makes this site worth reading. My field documentation makes it unique. These parrots are part of California’s beauty. They are ours to appreciate — freely and naturally. That has always been the point. Salvatore Angius Founder & Field Researcher — California Flocks Long Beach, California The Team ## 8 Experts. Every Article Accountable. Every piece of content on California Flocks is authored or reviewed by a named specialist. Here is who they are and what they cover. 🦜 Dr. John California Flocks Field Expert 13 species. 35+ cities. The field research backbone of this entire project. [View Bio →](#) 🌰 Mark Bittner Parrot Treats & Nutrition Author & wild parrot advocate. Known internationally for “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill.” [View Bio →](#) 🔬 Dr. Irene Pepperberg African Gray Parrot Expert Harvard & MIT researcher. World authority on parrot cognition, communication, and intelligence. [View Bio →](#) 🥚 Patty Jourgensen Breeding & Nesting Specialist in parrot breeding behavior, nesting environments, egg development, and chick care. [View Bio →](#) ❤️ Kathy LaFollett Parrot Adoption & Rescue California parrot rescue advocate helping families navigate adoption, rehoming, and first-time ownership. [View Bio →](#) 🥗 Barbara Parrot Health Nutrition Avian nutrition specialist covering dietary plans, supplements, toxic foods, and optimal feeding protocols. [View Bio →](#) 🩻 Pamela Parrot Health Avian health specialist covering illness prevention, symptom identification, and wellness routines for pet parrots. [View Bio →](#) 🗣️ Tony Training Parrots to Talk Professional parrot speech trainer specializing in vocabulary development, vocal bonding, and step-by-step communication techniques. [View Bio →](#) What We Cover ## Every Topic Parrots Deserve Our coverage spans wild field research unique to California all the way to hands-on daily parrot care — written by the expert whose background matches the subject. [📍 Flock Information ★ Original California field research — our most unique content](/flock-information/) [🦜 Parrot Care Housing, diet, enrichment and daily care guides](/category/parrot-care/) [🩺 Parrot Health Symptoms, prevention, vet-reviewed health advice](/category/parrot-care/parrot-health/) [🌿 Types of Parrots Species deep-dives: care, personality, lifespan](/category/types-of-parrots/) [🎓 Training & Behavior Speech training, tricks, behavior decoding](/category/parrot-care/training-and-behavior/) [❤️ Parrot Rescue CA Adoption, rescue orgs, and new owner guides](/category/parrot-care/parrot-rescue-california/) [🔬 Fun & Facts Parrot science, myths debunked, fascinating biology](/category/fun-and-interesting-facts/) [📰 Parrots News Conservation updates, research news, field sightings](/category/parrots-news/) 🦜 Join the Community ## Ready to Explore California’s Wild Parrots? Dive into our field research, read expert care guides, or follow us on social media for real-time parrot sighting updates from across California. [🗺️ Explore Flock Research](/flock-information/) [📖 Read All Articles](/articles/) Follow California Flocks [▶ YouTube](#) [f Facebook](#) [◉ Instagram](#) [✉ Contact Us](/contact-us/) 🏫 **Book a Presentation:** Salvatore Angius is available to present California’s wild parrot research to civic groups, schools, and universities — with live video footage and Q&A. [Get in touch →](/contact-us/)