Are San Diego’s parrots waking you up? How did they get here in the first place? We are coming at you to answer your burning question- are there parrots in San Diego?
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Parrots are not native
You can find Parrots on all tropical and subtropical continents and regions. This includes Australia and Oceania, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central America, South America, and Africa. Yet, they have now made their way up to San Diego, California in North America.
SoCal Parrot was founded to bridge the gap of care and consideration for Southern California’s wild parrot populations. It also acts as a resource for wild parrot conservation and education. The idea for the organization started in 2005 when the founder, Brooke Durham, was working with Project Wildlife in San Diego. At the time, adult wild parrots that were brought into the PW Care Center were humanely put down, and nestlings were given to volunteers to keep as pets.
Are parrots wild in San Diego? Yes! The birds are very much wild animals. Before SCP there was no protocol in place for their long-term care and eventual release back into the wild. That’s why Brooke decided that she and her husband, Josh, would start a small rescue. SCP is dedicates itself exclusively to the naturalized wild parrots in San Diego.
How did they get here?
No one really knows. Rick Schwartz, an Ambassador for the San Diego Zoo gave an interview with CBS News 8. “There were stories that they might have gotten out as someone’s pet from smuggling,” said Rick. He says while the origin of the birds is not known, those who live where the birds roost are certainly aware of them.
Find them in OB
The first place you should check out to confirm if there are parrots in San Diego is to pop over to Ocean Beach. Unsurprisingly, there is an entire account that dedicates itself to sharing OB love for their local parrots. The account includes photos of red-crowned and lilac-crowned parrots, along with red-masked and blue-crowned parakeets(conure). While there isn’t an answer on how did the green parrots get to San Diego, you can see proof here! When you notice an OB parrot be sure to tag them.
Parrots are so well known in OB that the 2023 Ocean Beach ornaments actually picture a surfing parrot in a Santa hat. You can check out previous OB Holiday Ornaments. Ocean Beach MainStreet Association will announce new ornaments soon for 2024.
See them in PB
Five miles up the coast from Ocean Beach, you can find parrots in Pacific Beach. While there is no designated Pacific Beach parrot Instagram, it takes just a walk down a street off Grand and find them coexisting in the neighborhood. According to World Parrot Trust, it is safe for parrots to nest in palm trees. Looking for more info on how these birds settle into the CA palms? Check out the journal article on the Distribution of Antagonistic-Mutualistic Relationships Between Parrots and Palms.
Hope that answers your question are there parrots in San Diego? The next time you get ready to be romantic in PB by walking to the beach or pier to watch the sun go down, and you hear that sweet squawking from your feathered friend, embrace the extra company. The radiant beauty the sun displays every night impresses parrots and partners alike.
