This West Coast City's Wild Parrots Are An Unlikely Tourist Attraction With A Mysterious Origin Story

The San Francisco Bay area is associated with a number of iconic wild animals that have become symbols of the city. For instance, the bay's sea lions are a popular tourist attraction, and numerous boat tours let visitors get up close and personal with the cute aquatic mammals. Similarly, a trip to a San Francisco park is likely to result in an encounter with local coyotes, which run wild but are generally harmless and keep to themselves.

In recent years, the metropolis on the bay has become increasingly associated with exotic parrots, so much so that the birds were named the city's official animals in public vote by The San Francisco Chronicle. The birds are colloquially known as the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill, the area of San Francisco that includes Pioneer Park, where they are most easily found and associated. They are highly social and have established a firm presence in the park, where they are easily noticeable thanks to their bright red and green plumage as well as their cacophonous call. 

Today, however, they are found across the city and may even be spotted traversing the bay from Panorama Park, one of San Francisco's newest, with breathtaking views of the city. Many tourists now seek the parrots out just as they would other wild inhabitants of San Francisco, with the tall tale behind their arrival adding to their status as a local legend.

The green and red parrots now often seen living in San Francisco are mostly cherry-headed conures, though several of them are hybrids from a mitred conure that joined the breeding population. The birds are not native to the area. Instead, they are believed to have arrived in San Francisco as a result of exotic bird commercial trafficking prior to its being outlawed in 1992. Cherry-headed conures are usually found in Ecuador and Peru.

Legend has it that the parrots' ancestors may have been kept at a pet store in Pasadena but escaped when the establishment burned down. One version of the story claims that a local woman lit the store on fire during a psychotic episode, while another suggests that she was responsible for saving them from the flames. However, it may be more likely that the hard-to-care-for birds were simply released by their owners.

It was estimated that there were once around 300 parrots around the San Francisco Bay. However, a mystery illness — which some claim may have been the cause of intentional poisoning — struck the parrot population and affected their numbers. There is now a parrot rescue center in the city dedicated to caring for birds found to have grown sick or been injured.

While some ornithologists may understandably be concerned that invasive exotic birds have a detrimental effect on the native species found on the West Coast, the reality is that San Francisco remains a birder's paradise, with a wide variety found across the city. The cherry-headed conures are often spotted sheltering in holes in trees, a tactic that protects them from the local raptor population. The area's predatory birds include bald eagles, golden eagles, and northern harriers, as well as a wide range of hawks and falcons. 

Though San Francisco may not be at the top of many enthusiasts' lists of the top birding locations in the U.S., the city boasts an impressive amount of biodiversity, with the Golden Gate Bird Alliance managing the conservation of valuable bird species and organizing various tours for local birders and tourists. If you're looking for somewhere unusual spot birds over the San Francisco Bay, try this revolving restaurant with 360 degree panoramic views of California.