halfwaynowhere
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So Cal ParrotsAnyone know anything about the random flocks of parrots that happen to live around southern california? I know there are several groups in OC, and there is now a decent sized flock (at least thirty birds) living in my neighborhood. Boy, are those guys noisy! They are green, which is the best description I have of them, I haven't seen them up close. They are some sort of amazon, but it would be cool to know exactly what they are.
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ftorres
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HEllo,
I heard that back in the 80s there was an accident where the vehicle transporting many of these birds was involved and they all got loose.
francisco
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balam
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I live in San Gabriel and they are fairly "common" in this area.
I've heard both, the truck crash and the pet-store on fire story.
I think they both in fact did happen, but that the parrots come from either of them is speculation until proven otherwise.
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cacoseraph
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i saw a flock of ~10-15 large-ish green parrots in Azusa, CA
heard they were established a couple few decades ago and they roam the SGV
i actually saw a feather drop when they flew over, but it wasn't a neato flight feather so i didn't keep it, iirc
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Celeste
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I believe they are Conures.
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rosenkrieger
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That's kinda cool. In bakersfield, we have a flock of wild Indian Ringnecks that fly around.
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crash714
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Re: So Cal Parrots | halfwaynowhere wrote: | | Anyone know anything about the random flocks of parrots that happen to live around southern california? I know there are several groups in OC, and there is now a decent sized flock (at least thirty birds) living in my neighborhood. Boy, are those guys noisy! They are green, which is the best description I have of them, I haven't seen them up close. They are some sort of amazon, but it would be cool to know exactly what they are. |
Parrots are literally in my yard right now, my neighbors hate them but, I love to hear them in the morning. Check these sites out!
http://amazornia.us/
http://californiaparrotproject.org/
Eric
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Celeste
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If you drive around the residential neighborhoods of Arcadia just west of the Arboretum you will find feral peacocks wandering the streets as well...
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balam
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that was awesome Eric
Hey Celest, we have those in San Gabriel too, sometimes they escape from t he country clubs, sometimes from people's properties.
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BamBaboons
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they are more than likely different forms of ring necks. i havn't seen or heard any thing loud enough to be a conure around cali. Just the ring necks. I know in Florida they have Quaker parrots too.
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Celeste
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They're about 10 inches long; solid green except for yellow heads -- isn't that a Conure? (They're REALLY loud!)
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WBurke17
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I beleive this is whats around El Monte and Monrovia
http://californiaparrotproject.org/red_lored_parrot.html#photos
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Celeste
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I haven't seen any with red on them -- just green with yellow heads (in South Pasadena and eastern Pasadena).
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crash714
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This is from my website, I shot this photo in Old Town Orange, these are allover the city of Orange, Santa Ana and Irvine.
Eric
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Celeste
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These look like the ones I'm most familiar with:
http://californiaparrotproject.org/yellow_headed_parrot.html
Very interesting website. Thanks, Warren!
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WBurke17
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Actually Eric deserves the credit..
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ogershok
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In Oceanside there used to be several large and medium sized parrots of different species that would hang out together. Mostly Mexican Red Heads but several others too. Occasionally there would be one or more of the various conures with them also. I don't see them around much anymore but you can hear them sometimes in the distance.
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cacoseraph
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| ogershok wrote: | | In Oceanside there used to be several large and medium sized parrots of different species that would hang out together. Mostly Mexican Red Heads but several others too. Occasionally there would be one or more of the various conures with them also. I don't see them around much anymore but you can hear them sometimes in the distance. |
oh yeah! i saw a little green parakeet a couple times!
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ogershok
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Years ago when I was really into birds I spoke to an ornithologist who told me that one of the great mysteries regarding exotic birds in CA is this question: Why have parakeets (budgies) not established themselves in SoCal? The climate and food availability here is extremely similar to where they come from in Aus. With the number of escapees and releases they should have become an established introduced species. This hasn't happened.
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Matt Kogler
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I know I may get a ration of "stuff" from environmentalists, but I enjoy seeing parrots around OC.. Makes it seem kinda exotic.. I know, I know, its destroying our native ecosystem...
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ogershok
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| Matt Kogler wrote: | | I know I may get a ration of "stuff" from environmentalists, but I enjoy seeing parrots around OC.. Makes it seem kinda exotic.. I know, I know, its destroying our native ecosystem... |
Something to remember though - an introduced species is bad only if it has a bad impact. Otherwise, who would even know most of the time? Some have even be beneficial (Ring Neck Pheasants, etc.) As a great philosopher once said, "a difference that makes no difference is no difference." The really impossible thing to do, and this is why it's almost always a bad idea, is determining ahead of time just what that impact will be.
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balam
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you mean to say that I shouldn't release some pokies to bring down the wild population of dubias in my yard?
J/K ppl.
But really, I had no idea we had so many different parrots in California
I always see the red crested ones, but now, I'm not so sure, I'll have to look closer.
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balam
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ogershok
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That's a serious flock of parrots! Trap them and make a fortune. Bring them to the BBQ. Put some on the raffle table. Wonder how they taste?
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rosenkrieger
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Those look like Red Fronted Amazon parrots. Don't see those too often up here, even in the pet trade. Britni works in a bird store, and we usually only see the yellow fronted amazons.
As far as feral birds, we just seem to have the ringnecks up here. Though I did hear a lovebird in one of the trees by my work, but I couldn't see it. But the sound they make is extremely distinct.
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balam
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There were ~40+ in this flock (there were tons of them on th trees as well). They are the "regulars" were I live. I haven't seen any other species with them, but I'm trying to look closer. I've heard people complain about the noise, but I like it. It's nice to see them when they come around. They are loud though, when this flock gets going you almost have to shout to be heard.
Case, I think they are red crowned parrots.
Oger, the mom of a friend of my wife caught one that landed in her yard. Threw a towel over it and kept it as a pet a while back.
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ogershok
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| balam wrote: | | Oger, the mom of a friend of my wife caught one that landed in her yard. Threw a towel over it and kept it as a pet a while back. |
My ex-brother-in-law was stationed in Long Beach while in the Navy and caught a Patagonian conure on the topmost mast of his ship. It became a super nice pet. They are excellent birds.
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Steven
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Buddy Edward had one fly into his yard ..ill or problem with flight. He still has the bird ...its a grump, but overall made a great pet.
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