The Mysterious Wild Green Parrots

There is a mystery surrounding these wild green parrots. Every year, during the spring and summer, our neighborhood is woken by these extremely loud partying parrots, and they are quite a sight to see! They squawk from tree to tree and everybody can identify them by sound, even if they can't see them. They are hard to miss!

But where did they come from? There are rumors of an old pet shop or nursery in Pasadena burning down in the 50s or 60s, and the owners set all their parrots free. Then they just kept breeding in the wild. And other rumors where they were smuggled from Mexico or Central America and either escaped or set free. They are all over Los Angeles, dubbed the "Wild Green Parrots of Pasadena." There have also been sightings in San Diego and Bakersfield, and even as far as San Francisco! So who knows where they originated. They're loud, they're obnoxious, they knock branches and leaves off the trees. But I think they are fascinating and adorable, even if they do wake the entire neighborhood up at 6am.

[All photos taken by me!]