Monday, November 4, 2013

Wild Neighbors: Parrots in the Patio


I've written about these guys before. 

One of the beauties of the inner-city block on which I live is the large contiguous tree-filled green space which is not visible from the street. Most of the neighbors' back yards are full of plants and trees, providing ample habitat for a large variety of wildlife, particularly birds.

I love watching all of the birds here, but I think my favorites are the parrots.


These Red Lored Parrots come and go as the various fruits and nuts ripen. They've been hanging around lately chewing on the seeds of my neighbor's cedro tree. They'll drift away and then return as other seasonal food becomes available in the area.

These photos were actually taken last spring near the end of the dry season, when some trees are bare of leaves. Right now, it's pretty hard to get clear shots of the birds because they blend right into the dense foliage. Most often I know they are here when I hear their high-decibel chatter.


I've seen as many as forty of these parrots flying together. This flocking usually happens in the evening, when they head to their sleeping and nesting areas in a park a few blocks north of here.

Often when they are nearby, their mutters and shrieks are my morning alarm clock. Some times I will grab my first cup of coffee and sit in the patio to watch their interactions.

In any case, the parrots are entertaining and always interesting to observe. And I don't have to leave the back yard to enjoy their company.



Read a related post here.


Text and images copyright 2013 by Marc Olson

9 comments:

  1. I understand there are parrots around here, but I have yet to see one. You are one lucky dude to have them in your yard.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, having wild parrots in the neighborhood is a wonderful thing. This species seems to thrive in an urban setting like Mérida where there is plenty of green space. They certainly liven things up.

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  2. I used to live in Los Angeles, where it was rumored that there were flocks of feral parrots to be seen. Unfortunately, I never saw any of them.

    What a joy it must be to have a garden with parrots, hummingbirds, turtles, and Lord knows what else.

    Saludos,

    Kim G
    Boston, MA
    Where the squirrels are becoming frantic to put on as much weight as possible before winter strikes.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Woo hoo, a side show most mornings with your coffee! What a gift..........enjoy.

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  4. We haven't seen any parrots, but we were happy a couple of nights ago when we saw our owl family. We thought they had moved on to better parts the last visit, but they seem to be back. This is over 3 years now that they have lived on top of the old water tank in the back and in the tree behind the tank.

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  5. In García Ginerés we also have the flocks of parrots... Every time I see them land in our garden (they think it is a salad bar) I know I should shoo them away because they eat up the fruit and leave a big mess. But then I think back to when I was a little girl growing up in Canada... never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I'd live in a house with citrus trees and figs and that parrots would swoop down for a meal!

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  6. You must have a very special touch with your wild neighbors. Every time I try to enter my garden, when special birds are up there, they fly away. But maybe these parrots are different. Nevertheless, any bird presence is so enthralling, isn't it? I do have occasional "down days", but the sighting of a wild neighbor can add a real spark. I even love the vultures, and had not seen one in a long time. Yet, after awaiting a frustrating department store opening (one of those 11 AM-ers), I looked up and saw one of those peaceful creatures circling above.

    Your photos: do you believe that the third one shows parrot affection, sharing, or even mother-feeding-partner? It's lovely.

    Finally, I'm sure you'll enjoy one of the parrot photos on the front page of today's Washington Post. Maybe someday you can set up a tripod, sit in wait for your friends, and capture something similar.

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  7. Believe it or not there's a large flock of parrots that live near the University of Chicago year-round. Supposedly they got away from someone's home years ago and they just stayed. No one could explain how the tropical birds survived Chicago winters.

    al

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  8. Lovely. I'm sitting out back watching the trees right now - wondering if they ever come to this neighborhood.

    ReplyDelete

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