While California is home to many parrot species, many onlookers have developed various urban legends regarding their arrivals. These legends include but are not limited to: the involvement of disgruntled employees at pet stores, animal activist at University labs, desperate smugglers avoiding prosecution, rescuers opening cages from fires at aviaries, escapes from a circus, a … Read more
A look at the varied diets which have enabled California’s parrots to successfully thrive for many decades. While documenting and monitoring the diverse naturalized parrot flocks throughout California, parrot flocks were encountered in many cities ranging from southern San Diego Co. to as far north as Sacramento and as east as Bakersfield, CA . As … Read more
There is no doubt on anyone’s mind that the survival of these birds is sustained by the varied food sources available. The fruit, nectar, flower buds, and sometimes bark, of imported landscaping plants make up the bulk of their diets. The availability of most of these seasonally consumed foods are not year around. The variety and concentration … Read more
Yellow Chevroned Parakeets (Brotogeris chiriri) The smallest of all California’s naturalized parrots, the Yellow Chevroned Parakeets (Brotogeris Chiriri) are always fast paced and on the go. These birds feed on numerous exotic seeds, flower nectar, or even large Silk Floss fruits (Chorisia Speciosa) that may even dwarf them in size. Unique calls and soft chirps … Read more