Closing Bell: The Brooklyn Parrot Guru

Bird Channel has an interview with Steve Baldwin, who does the Brooklyn Parrots blog and runs the Wild Parrot Safaris walking tours. Baldwin says the safaris are "a great, undiscovered, undocumented anti-depressant. I’ve actually had a clinically depressed person who came on my trip, and smiled—for the first time in five years!"
A Parrot Flock Grows in Brooklyn [Bird Channel]
Photo from Brooklyn Parrots.

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I actually ran into another flock of these parrots in Whitestone, Queens. They have several huge nests on top of the utility poles and they make quite a racket. Amazing that they can survive in this climate.

Posted by: JoeBushwick at July 30, 2008 4:59 PM

They are Monk or Quaker Parrot/Parakeets. They're all over NYC. There is a huge popluation by my house in Brooklyn. They have giant nests in the entrance to Greenwood Cemetary. They're funny and fiesty and loud. The first time I saw one was years ago in my backyard. I didn't know anything about them then, so I assumed someone's pet had gotten loose. They're a pretty cool addition to NYC.

http://www.brooklynparrots.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monk_Parakeet

Posted by: ador3 at July 30, 2008 5:26 PM

I'm totally fascinated with these (and birds in general). I've still never seen on in Brooklyn though...been meaning to get down to Greenwood Cemetary to catch a glimpse!

Posted by: 11217 at July 30, 2008 5:32 PM

Since we're talkin' birds, I've noticed a family of cardinals around the Promenade. Nice change of pace from the usual city birds...

Posted by: GHB at July 30, 2008 5:50 PM

We have mockingbirds in the yars behind our street. I understand there are a fair number of them throughout Brooklyn. They are truly amazing with a repertoire of abot 12-15 different calls.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at July 30, 2008 6:20 PM

I had no idea these existed. I saw one in my backyard once, called the ASPCA thinking someone had a rare bird "escape". I was afraid it wouldn't be able to fend for itself. The brusque but informative woman at the ASPCA told me I had nothing to worry about that they were quite common, etc.

I thought I was getting the brush-off. What do I know from Brooklyn Parrots?? Who knew??

Posted by: TownhouseLady at July 30, 2008 6:45 PM

Steve's comment about the birds' anti-depressant effect is spot-on. We had a small colony of them "in residence" across the street near the park for a while, and they cheered me enormously, squawking and tumbling through the trees. They are as green as pistachio nuts. I truly miss them.

Posted by: Brenda from Flatbush at July 30, 2008 9:43 PM

Steve is great and has done an amazing job spreading the news about these parrots. And the parrots themselves are awesome!

Posted by: Jack at July 30, 2008 11:10 PM

The mockingbirds do make an incredible racket. All sorts of noises. I like the cardinal's song. If you want to attract them to your garden don't dead-head the sunflowers (that you are surely growing).

Posted by: dittoburg at July 31, 2008 9:41 AM

There were gray parrots near my last place of residence and a mockingbird colony lives on the current street. One mockingbird--now gone, I think, since I no longer hear him, had the BEST sounds ever in the early morning and evening. He'd go through a repetoire of sounds that included grackles, sparrows, trills,and car alarms. Yeah, there's my city bird!

Posted by: Minmin at July 31, 2008 10:46 AM

I live in South Slope and have a host of cardinals in my yard. One pair actually built a nest on top of my backyard fence this spring, and I had the pleasure of seeing their two little one fledge one day. Last year, it was the blue jays who had a nest near the fence and one little jay fledged. Baby birds bouncing around the yard until they got the hang of it!! I hear the nightingales start their warm ups at 1 a.m., and to top it off, the raccoons who come around are actually cute too. Who knew? I think it's awesome to have this wonderful little window into nature right here in the middle of the city.

Posted by: puppycup at July 31, 2008 1:42 PM

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July 30, 2008

Closing Bell: The Brooklyn Parrot Guru

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