When you’re browsing through homes for sale in Pasadena, wild parrots are likely the furthest thought from your mind. But believe it or not, parrots are a very real part of life in Pasadena… and much of the Greater Los Angeles area. While they aren’t a natural part of Los Angeles wildlife, wild parrots are so prevalent in our city that no one short of Mother Nature herself could close this Pandora’s box. Or cage? Therefore, we have to consider these very vocal avians our fine feathered neighbors. Easier said than done for some Angelenos. Yet, these big city squawkers are more than exotic alarm clocks. They may be the controversial key to saving their species! 

The Species That Constitute the Pasadena Parrots

Photo credit: Richard Crossley

It’s estimated that there are as many as 13 parrot species populating the Greater Los Angeles area. The most commonly occurring is the red-crowned amazon parrot, distinguished by a shock of red feathers at the forehead contrasting with their otherwise emerald plumage. Another frequent flier of Los Angeles skies, the yellow-headed amazon parrot exhibits a face of lemon feathers with burning red and yellow coloring at the tops of its wings. Otherwise, it is also a brilliant green. 

In total, the 12 species that have been officially distinguished by birdwatchers across Los Angeles include:

• Blue-crowned parakeet
• Indian ring-necked parakeet
• Lilac-crowned amazon parrot 
• Mitred parakeet
• Nanday parakeet
• Red-crowned amazon parrot
• Red-lored amazon parrot
• Red-masked parakeet
• Turquoise-fronted amazon parrot
• White-fronted amazon parrot
• Yellow-chevroned parakeet
• Yellow-headed amazon parrot

A sighting doesn’t necessarily mean a species is reproducing enough to sustain in the Southern California climate. This can make it difficult to accurately determine how many parrot species actually call the city their home. Add in the inter-breeding of species and the task becomes nearly impossible. 

The Range of Southern California’s Wild Parrots

Photo credit: photochem_PA

The Pasadena parrots can be found as far south as San Diego and as far north as Bakersfield these days. Yet, all sources tend to agree that Pasadena was ground zero for Southern California’s wild parrot population, hence their nickname. With its numerous old fruit trees, Pasadena provided the perfect “nest” so to speak for a fledgling wild parrot population to find its wings. 

The Numerous Myths and Legends of LA Parrots

But where did the Pasadena parrots come from? And don’t say “Pasadena”! It’s a question that will never have a thorough answer, though there are plenty of legends. 

The most popular is that the kaleidoscopic birds were escapees from a Pasadena pet store that caught fire. Employees and good samaritans were said to have freed the parrots when the fire raged out of control, a la that scene from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. 

The rumor mill sometimes even pinpoints an exact incident: the fire that consumed Simpson’s Nursery in east Pasadena circa 1969. Others attribute this chaotic scene to the burning of Simpson’s Gardenland and Bird Farm a decade earlier. Another legend does away with the fire altogether. This one claims the birds were set free after the closing of Pasadena’s Busch Gardens amusement park in 1937. 

Photo credit: Busch Gardens

Some claim the parrots simply migrated up to Pasadena from their native Mexico. Then, there’s the rumor that black market smugglers, facing capture, cut their losses by releasing the contraband conures. Over time, these myths have either been debunked or slowly suffocated due to lack of corroborating evidence. 

The Accepted Origin of the Pasadena Parrots

The explanation that tends to hold the most weight is that there was no singular event that resulted in the sudden appearance of the wild Pasadena parrots. Rather, it’s most likely that escaped pet parrots managed to survive in the harsh desert climate so different from their tropical motherland. And over the years, these escapees banned together and put the “birds” back in “the birds and the bees.” 

These days, it’s estimated that Los Angeles is home to several thousand wild parrots. And though the desert climate isn’t exactly kind to them, they continue to survive. This season’s extraordinary rainfall has only helped the Pasadena parrots. Promoting the growth of abundant greenery and vegetation, the birds are finding plenty of fruit, seeds, and shelter. 

Photo credit: Envato

It strikes a stark contrast to their native Mexico, where several species of parrot are now endangered. These include the aforementioned red-crown and yellow-headed amazons, the latter of which is prized for its deft skill in mimicking human speech. 

Sadly, these parrots’ numbers dwindled in their native land because of the pet trade. Poachers exported thousands upon thousands of Mexican parrots over the decades, depleting the natural population. Deforestation followed, wiping out much of the parrots’ habitat. 

A New Path to Conservation

Mexico counts only a few thousand more wild parrots than the Greater Los Angeles area… and that’s an optimistic assessment. But it’s also creating a push for a very unique conservation effort. 

The Pasadena parrots could actually be used as a back-up so-to-speak in the event that Mexico’s species go extinct. Consider it something akin to a Battlestar Galactica situation… Birdlestar Galactica? 

It’s not a perfect “Plan B”, considering the Southern California desert is vastly different from the humid jungles of Mexico. But the Pasadena parrots could eventually save certain species from total extinction. 

Love Thy Loud Neighbors

Unfortunately, this bird bank requires cohabitation with millions of people. This means residents of Pasadena and beyond can expect an incessantly squawking alarm clock competing with the sun for early riser status. And occasionally a flurry of bird droppings turning newly-washed cars into mock Jackson Pollock paintings. 

Talk to a Pasadena parrot neighbor and they’ll quickly explain to you why a group of parrots is called a “pandemonium.” But who comes to Los Angeles for peace and quiet anyway?