They were in the habit of flying over every afternoon at about 4:00. The squawking, unmistakable, alerted everyone to their presence. Try thinking something akin to a crow with a sore throat and a megaphone.
Yesterday, the noise did not fade or stop. It did not take me long to spot a pair parrots in the Norfolk pine across the street. I was surprised to see how large they were. Perhaps in my mind I confuse them with parakeets.
I don't have a camera that would capture them atop forty- to fifty-foot tall tree. This picture, from Florida's Wild Parrots, is very close to what I saw though.
I have seen parrots in Venice before, but this year I have noticed them more and more. There was one species of parrot indigenous to Florida, but it is now extinct. The parrot population now seen in Florida are descendants of escapees from the pet trade in exotic tropical birds. They have adapted well since the weather tends to be familiar and so do many of the non-native plants that have been imported for landscaping.
Everything you may have wanted to know about Florida parrots in the wild can be found here.
In other Florida bird news--the baby Sandhill cranes are growing up, no longer little yellow fluff balls with legs:
You know you are not in Vermont when you see parrots in your trees! And baby cranes! Cool.
ReplyDeleteWow. Those parrots are amazing. Birds are so much fun. Just adds a little color - and music sometimes - to your day.
ReplyDeleteI wondered if these wild parrots are often caught and kept for pets. I clicked on the site you offered in an effort to see if that questions might be answered. I found Everything You Want To Know About Parrots...but don't have time to learn:-( Very interesting post Olga.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful birds! Up here in Michigan the most colorful we get are Cardinals. We do get the cranes if you're in the country. I love watching them walk.
ReplyDeleteI don't see flocks of parrots here in Hawaii. But, I would not welcome the noise from birds that you have been hearing. A few chirps and bird song, yes, but not noise. Lol.
ReplyDeleteSo happy to learn the escapees are living long and propagating. Aren't those baby sandhills just the cutest?
ReplyDeleteHow interesting! Orange County (California) has a lot of wild green parrots, too. You described their squawking perfectly! They have a similar back story, too. They supposedly got lose during a fire at an exotic bird store! They are truly beautiful but loud!
ReplyDeleteThey are so cute! I love birding!
ReplyDeleteWhat a coincidence! I have a blog post going up next week about the red-masked parrots. They're beautiful, but a horrendous pain over here.
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