Wild Parrots Spreading to San Francisco Suburbs

Much talking is the cause of danger. Silence is the means of avoiding misfortune. The talkative parrot is shut up in a cage. Other birds, without speech, fly freely about.
~Saskya Pandita

The wild parrots of San Francisco's Telegraph Hill are fleeing to the suburbs. 100 or so of the birds have been spotted in Brisbane, a small city 10 miles south of San Francisco. It is likely that the birds migrated in search of food. They have been seen feeding on juniper and hawthorn berries.



The playful birds can still be found around the northern edge of San Francisco, where they have become a tourist draw. Native to South America, the first wild parrot of San Francisco was likely an escapee from a pet importer.

Note: The parrot population in San Francisco is referred to as feral.

Something else I learned: The city of San Francisco passed an ordinance in 2007 prohibiting feeding the parrots.