While Simon was talking on the phone when I was over at his apartment hanging out, I read this very amusing article in the New York Times about a ban to feed the parakeets in San Francisco:

An online forum devoted to the parakeets quickly grew heated as word of a ban on feeding spread. “It’s a bit like Baghdad in there,” said Mr. Ente, who started the forum, which he said had been “decimated by sectarian strife over this parrot conflict.”

Mr. Peskin says the new ban, which specifically forbids feeding “red-masked parakeets,” the park’s breed, will be enforced with signs and police warnings at first.

“Obviously the city doesn’t want to give tickets to folks for this,” Mr. Peskin said. “But if we have to, we will.”

And no, the article does not reveal why there are parakeets living wild in San Francisco or where they came from. I have my doubts that they are part of the Bay Area’s native flora and fauna.

This is what I get for blogging before checking out all possible sources. According to the Wikipedia:

[article on red-masked parakeet]

These birds are native to southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru, where they inhabit forest edges and partially cleared areas. Some are sold as cage birds; they are considered good talkers. Escaped cage birds are considered to be introduced in Spain. They are also found in Florida and California, and make up most of the feral population in San Francisco that was documented in the book The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill by Mark Bittner and the film of the same name by Judy Irving. Although these birds reproduce in the wild, the Red-masked Parakeet is not considered established in North America.

[article on Telegraph Hill]

Today Telegraph Hill is known for supporting a flock of feral parrots (primarily Cherry-headed Conure), most of whom are descended from escaped or released pets.

And finally, from Mark Bittner’s own Frequently Asked Questions page: “How did they get there?”

Ah, now I know more than I could have ever imagined knowing about red-masked parakeets. Thanks a lot, Mr. Internet.

emma :: Jun.07.2007 :: misc :: 2 Comments »