Is PSE&G The Most Parrot-Friendly Utility Company in the U.S.A.?

Like other utility companies serving customers in regions of the U.S.A. where wild parrots now fly free, New Jersey's Public Service Electric & Gas must occasionally remove nests built by the parrots on electrical infrastructure. But PSE&G has demonstrated extraordinary sensitivity towards both the parrots and the folks who like them, as was demonstrated in a recent e-mail exchange between Alison Evans-Fragale, of EdgewaterParrots.com, and representatives in its Overhead Construction Palisades Division.

This exchange concerned the fact that the nest teardowns scheduled to occur in March and early April (an ideal time when it is both warm enough for de-nested parrots to survive but before their annual breeding cycle begins) could not be performed. Instead of simply doing the nest teardowns later in the Spring (when there would be major damage to eggs in such nests), PSE&G agreed to wait until some time after the babies have fledged (which usually occurs by late summer).

If you're a regular reader of this site, you know that I have written some harsh words about other utility companies whose wild parrot control policies have been heavy-handed and harsh. But PS&G has proven it has a heart by listening to the wildlife community, moving toward best practices, and forging a path that I am confident will lead to a situation of improved coexistence between parrot and man. In a world where money too often wins out over kindness, PSE&G deserves praise by all who value our free-range urban parrots.

Photo-Essay: Wild Parrots Feast and Fight in Brooklyn

Springtime in Brooklyn means lots of tasty leaf buds begin to blossom, attracting flocks of wild Quaker Parrots. At beautiful Green-Wood Cemetery, one of the best places to check out some serious feral parrot action is in some of its soaring chestnut trees. (Click on any photo for an enlarged view; also please check out my other Photo-Essays on the wild parrots).


This Horse Chestnut Tree (Aesculus Hippocastanum), native to Greece and Albania, stands just a few yards from where the wild Quaker Parrots (native to Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Brazil) have built their huge nest complex.


These wild Quaker Parrots are just getting ready to devour one of their favorite treats: wild Horse Chestnut blossoms.


Do horse chestnut blossoms have some mysterious aphrodisiac quality useful to the Quaker Parrots' pre-mating season rituals? Or are they just delightfully delicious?


Either way, these hungry parrots don't waste any time digging in.


Elsewhere in the Cemetery, there's a lot of arguing going on, and it's par for the course whenever you find wild Quakers undergoing their annual pre-mating season madness.


"Ouch - hey buddy, I wasn't looking at your gal the wrong way, was I?"


The parrots' rambunctious behavior occasionally interrupts their feeding.


But most birds simply enjoy the feast, and leave the noisy physical contact to the teenagers.

Next Brooklyn Wild Parrot Safari: Saturday, June 14, 2008

Photo: Wild Quaker Parrots in Flight Over Midwood, Brooklyn
How did they get here? It's a long story!

Attention all Urban Parrot fans: the next Wild Brooklyn Parrot Safari will happen on Saturday, June 14, 2008, at 12 Noon. All interested wild parrot fans should meet at Brooklyn College's Hillel Gate, which is at the intersection of Hillel Place and Campus Road. Our tour runs in two sections. You can attend either section, or both, depending on how many wild parrots you'd like to see!

Please e-mail me if you want to attend, so I know how many folks are coming. Note: the rain date for this trip is Sunday, June 15th, same monk time, same monk location.



Wild Parrot Safari -- First Section (Brooklyn College): 12:00 Noon to 1:45PM
At noon, we'll inspect the Brooklyn Parrots' "Ellis Island." Their large nests around the soccer field represents the first major colony in Brooklyn. The site is easy to get to via public transportation. Just take the Number 2 train (Seventh Avenue IRT) to the end of the line, walk one block Southwest on Hillel Street past the new Starbucks, and look for the main Brooklyn College date. The tour begins at the entrance at Noon sharp. Allow some extra time, given that the MTA is doing lots of construction/train re-routing on weekends. Driving instructions are available at Brooklyn College's main Web site. Parking is fairly easy to come by in the neighborhood. If you're late, just call me: I'll give you directions so that you can meet up with us if the tour is already in progress.

Wild Parrot Safari -- Second Section (Green-Wood Cemetery): 2:30PM-5PM.
Due to popular demand, our monthly tour will run an optional "second section." After getting our share of the raucous antics of the Brooklyn College Parrots, at approximately 1:45 PM, our group will walk to the Q Train (BMT) station at Avenue H and journey to Green-Wood Cemetery, where we will observe the late-afternoon antics of the parrots residing there. If you just want to see the Green-Wood parrots, show up at 2:30 PM and we'll be there. To get to Green-Wood, take the R Train to 25th Street and walk one block East to 25th and 5th Avenue.

What to Bring/What to Wear
Please bring a photo ID (this is required by Brooklyn College Security). If you like, bring binoculars and a camera if you'd like to immortalize your wild parrot-watching experience. The weather will probably be balmy in early May, but we'll be exposed to the wind and possibly strong sun. I ordinarily do not cancel the tour unless the forecast is for sustained rain in which birds will not fly.

Please feel free to wear anything except bright orange (Monk Parrots freak out when you show them something orange: in fact orange tags are one of the best ways to convince Monk Parrots to build away from electrical infrastructure). Wear green, blue, white, but orange will drive away the birds. Go figure!

This Tour is Free, But the Parrots Are Hungry!
The Wild Parrot Safari is free - if you wish to help your hungry urban feathered friends, bring some bird seed: trust me, the parrots won't soon forget the gesture. Wild monk parrots also appreciate "real parrot food," especially unshelled peanuts, sliced apples, and raw sunflower seeds. Finch food or millet are always welcomed by our hungry urban "peeps."

See you in wild, exotic Brooklyn!

Steve Baldwin, Webmaster, BrooklynParrots.com
steve@brooklynparrots.com
646-361-2879 (phone)

What's So Bad About Being Bio-Biased?

The New York Times' Natalie Angier writes amusingly of humans' penchant for favoring animal species anthropocentricly reflective of their own moral values. I suppose I'm guilty of such behavior myself, given how much I write about the peaceful, family-oriented qualities of the free-range Quaker Parrots of Brooklyn. Furthermore, I really do believe that the irrational affinity that many Manhattanites display for hawks and falcons is due to an unconscious self-identification with such stylish predators.

Language plays a big part in the good animal/bad animal dichotomy, which is why my own pupils narrow and adrenaline levels rise whenever somebody unfairly vilifies our newly native Monk Parrots an "invasive species." At this point I must remind them that our beloved monks have been "introduced" to urban environments, just like those fancy peregrine falcons they're so attached to.

Ballad of the Brooklyn Parrots: The (Definitive) Full-Motion Version!

The song "The Ballad of the Brooklyn Parrots" has evolved significantly from its humble roots as a free MP3 file. First folks asked for a Youtube version, so still photographs were added to the track. Then folks began asking for actual MTV-style moving images to accompany the song: the resulting video is embedded below: enjoy! -- and remember, "they're mighty loud and they're mighty raucous; the scientists call them Myiopsitta Monachus!" - Steve Baldwin



Lyrics: The Ballad of the Brooklyn Parrots (Guitar: D /E chord alternation throughout)
I've got some news for you baby, and it might not be so good
There's an avian invader in the neighborhood
Yeah, they're little green parrots from the Argentine
They make their nests so high in the power line

It happened back in 1968, a bunch of parrots broke loose from a shipping crate
Now they're all over the borough, you can see them in the air
The little green birds that just don't care -- about you
Or your girlfriend on a respirator -- yeah, they're avian invaders, baby
And they're all over Brooklyn now

Yeah, they're mighty loud, and they're mighty raucous
The scientists call them Myiopsitta Monachus
And they're all over town, you can look up and they're looking down on you

Yeah, they're little green parrots from the Argentine
They make their nests so high in the power line
And they call them a pest; I wonder if their hearts are true
Living on the avenue

Refrain:
It happened back in 1968, a bunch of parrots broke loose from a shipping crate
It happened back in 1968, a bunch of parrots broke loose from a shipping crate
There's an avian invader in the neighborhood

(Copyright 2006-2008 Steve Baldwin)

Science Notes: Quaker Parrots Directly Related to Tyrannasaurus Rex!

An intriguing article published by the New York Times confirms what many observers of the wild parrots of Brooklyn have long suspected: our airborne "green dragons" are directly related to Tyrannassaurus Rex. Welcome to the 'hood, Dino!

Breaking News: Bronx Wild Parrot Colony Bounces Back!

Wild Parrots at the Throggs Neck Little League Baseball Field, The Bronx, NY

Last June, a major wild parrot rescue operation was mounted to save more than fifty baby Quaker Parrots endangered by a planned lighting replacement project in the Bronx (you can see a photo-essay or watch a Youtube video documenting this event). The rescued baby birds were safely transported to New England, where, now fledged, they constitute a "Strategic Quaker Parrot Reserve" under the care of Foster Parrot's Marc Johnson.

Barry Schwartz, of the Maspeth Bird Haven, recently returned to the Throggs Neck Little League to survey the progress made by the colony to re-establish itself. He reports that "the colony has now built nests on all seven of the light poles; some nests are now of considerable size, and the sounds of Quakers can be heard on all four sides of the block the field occupies. I only had 15 minutes to look around, but would say that the Quakers must have laid bumper clutches since last year, making up for the ones relocated to Foster Parrots."

This happy development will be very welcome news for the residents of Throggs Neck, many of whom feared that last year's light replacement project would leave them parrotless.

Wild Parrots Invade Red Hook; Some Residents Denounce Nests as "Unsightly"

Brooklyn's excellent "Gowanas Lounge" blog reports on the stir caused by wild parrots in Red Hook. The Red Hook colony is one of Brooklyn's less explored wild parrot colonies (because it's difficult to get to via public transportation, as are many interesting spots in Red Hook). Scientists believe that this wild parrot colony was formed several years ago by a "breakaway" group from nearby Green-Wood Cemetery.

Some property-minded residents of Red Hook are evidently complaining about the shape and general condition of the parrots' nests, characterizing the construction as "slovenly." I would advise these residents to simply give the parrots time to complete the core construction tasks (after which they will certainly focus on finishing and general "beauty work." Quaker Parrots are hard-working perfectionists who will not give up until every twig is trimmed carefully to present an aesthetically attractive exterior. After all, these parrots are considered to be "the master architects of the bird world."

Breaking News: Eyewitness IDs Con Edison in Brooklyn Wild Parrot Colony Disappearance

A witness who requests anonymity has contacted me about the mysterious disappearance of the wild Quaker Parrot colony in the Sheepshead Bay/Manhattan Beach area of Brooklyn in January of this year. According to this person, a single Con Edison truck, operating in daylight, removed all the wild parrot nests along Oriental Boulevard during the 3rd week of January. This account accords with my own observations. It is not clear what happened to the parrots themselves.

What is particularly distressing about this account is that it directly contradicts statements made by Con Edison that the nests were removed "by poachers," an explanation which is on its face patently absurd. While there have been past poaching incidents in Brooklyn, the poachers steal the parrots, not the nests. In this case, however, all traces of the once-thriving wild parrot colony in Manhattan Beach were removed.

As I've noted on many occasions, I have no animus toward Con Edison, which I believe usually acts in a generally transparent manner. In the past, I have received many accounts from residents of Brooklyn alleging that the utility company engages in tactics (including the use of chemical agents and an alliance with criminal parrot poachers) which have not been borne out by the facts. Compared to other utility companies that routinely kill wild parrots, Con Edison's stance is moderate and I believe that they deserve credit for behaving in a moderate way.

Still, it is troubling that Con Edison did not simply tell the public what it was doing in this instance, and especially troubling that it the removals in January, at a time when the parrots were exposed to harsh weather. My sincere hope is that Con Edison chooses transparency and best practices over secrecy and unilateral actions in the future. If you have additional information about the missing Manhattan Beach wild parrots, please send me e-mail at steve@brooklynparrots.com.

Amazing Quaker Parrot Nest Construction Video: Sparky Builds His Dream House

Back in January, we wrote about Sparky the Quaker Parrot, of Portland, Oregon. Sparky's owner, Linda Magee, described by Oregon Online as "the doyenne of Portland's Chamber Music Northwest," has graciously allowed Sparky to build large structures in her dining room. Linda's new time-lapse video captures Sparky's efforts over a 10-day period. In Linda's words, we now see "more evidence of the skill, intelligence and hard work of the amazing Quaker parrot." There's more avian architecture to enjoy at sparkyvonvogelsang; Sparky's Youtube channel.

Would Barack Obama Be a Parrot-Friendly President?

To my knowledge, none of the current presidential candidates have taken a position on the wild Quaker Parrots inhabiting many of America's cities. Frankly, this might be a good thing, given that any debate over the parrots should be conducted in a measured manner to minimize the risk that the issue might further polarize the political landscape.

Still, it seems that of all the current candidates, Barack Obama might have the strongest emotional affinity with the Quakers, because one of his political mentors, former mayor Harold Washington, did so much to help them back in the 1980's. After numerous parties attempted to eradicate them from Chicago, Washington went to bat for them. He died too young, but the parrots he helped have thrived in Hyde Park (now, fittingly, Harold Washington Park). We lost our indigenous parrot (the Carolina Parakeet) 100 years ago: let's hope that our next president manages to conserve their kind.

Green Parrots and Irish Pride: It's the Annual Bay Ridge St. Patrick's Day Parade!

I'm part Irish and part parrot, so I always enjoy the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade which happens in Brooklyn a couple of weeks after the Manhattan parade. The parade happens tomorrow (March 30, 2008), its official site is here; the weather should be good, and here's a video I shot of the 2007 parade. Enjoy!

Green-Wood Wild Parrots on ScienceFriday.com!

Carl Flatow of ScienceFriday.com produced a nice online video about the wild parrots at Green-Wood Ceremony. I'm the "MC" and there are some excellent shots of the parrots reacting to the appearance of a local raptor. Enjoy!

NBC Nightly News Report: Parrots vs. Power Companies

NBC News investigative reporter Aram Roston recently uploaded on the current controversies involving Monk Parakeets and energy companies. It runs for a bit longer than 3 minutes and there are some very good video sequences showing Brooklyn's beloved "boids." Interestingly, Aram Roston doesn't just investigate Monk Parakeets; he's written a brand new book called The Man Who Pushed America to War: The Extraordinary Life, Adventures and Obsessions of Ahmad Chalabi - check it out!

Lucky Quaker Parrot Freed From California Shelter, Granted Asylum in Oregon

Quaker Parrots are illegal in California, and when one recently escaped, was sent to a shelter, and the authorities were notified, it seemed that certain death lay ahead (Pennsylvania and California both have "instant kill" policies for wild Quaker Parrots.

Fortunately, several kind-hearted humans intervened and managed to have this little bird flown to Oregon, a state willing to provide asylum for his kind. Here's to the good folks at SD Exotic Bird Rescue who saved this cute little fellow -- you can read more at SD Exotic Bird Rescue's site.

Update 2/16: Wild Quaker Parrot Crisis in Yacolt, WA

Today, Washington TV Station KATU provided an updated report on the situation in Yacolt, Washington. As I've indicated on this site, the situation in Yacolt is highly unfortunate, because it appears that while a humane solution involving alternative nest platforms has been forged, evidence exists that the power company continues to remove nests despite the fact that doing this practically ensures that many birds will not survive the winter.

KATU's report about at least one dead Quaker Parrot being found in the vicinity of a recently removed nest is accurate. An autopsy was performed to identify the exact cause of death and the medical examiner's report will soon be released to the media.

While this latest news is most disturbing, I sincerely hope that the citizens of Yacolt, their elected officials, and the local power company can somehow find a way to reach a humane solution that addresses all legitimate concerns of the local community. I would like to see the squabbling and name-calling stop, tempers cool, and a good-faith discussion to being. While it is to be expected that passions will flare on either side of the issue, I implore those who care about their wild parrots behave in an appropriate, transparent manner, and would ask City officials and power company officials to do the same.

Please Help The Rescued African Greys of Camaroon

Parrots are the most endangered birds in the world, and it's rare that the bad guys who poach them get caught. But almost 1,000 endangered African Grey parrots were recently liberated from a shipment at Cameroon Airport, and most of them survived. These parrots are being cared for at a wildlife refuge, and the World Parrot Trust is trying to help them. Please donate to this worthy organization to provide for their care and rehabilitation.

Monk Parakeet I Love You Mug: Perfect for Valentine's Day

Wild Monk Parrots mate for life and are fiercely loyal to each other.



Valentine's Day is just around the corner, so it's time to reward your monk parrot-crazy sweetie with Brooklyn Parrots' Lovers Mug. It's just $12.99 and if you order it in the next few days, you'll probably have it by February 14th. Viva Amore!

Hopes Dim for Yacolt, Washington, Wild Parrots

It's difficult following developments on the ground from 3,000 miles away. But I'm hearing only bad news from Yacolt, Washington, where Clark County Public Utilities Department and the U.S.D.A. attempted to eradicate wild parrots against the wishes of Yacol's community late last year.

Although the killing of the parrots stopped more than a month ago, fewer and fewer parrots are being sighted, suggesting the worst, which is that they have died a cruel death in the cold due to the continued nest removals that Clark County PUD has performed during this period.

This terribly cruel situation could have been avoided if the town of Yacolt and Clark County Public Utilities had followed best practices and not removed the parrot nests at one of the most perilous times of the year. Even in the midst of a terrible ice and snow storm, and even after pro-parrot activists notified the mayor, city council, and Clark County PUD of the dire effects of such continuing removals, the crews continued their work, sealing the parrots fate. There may still be a few surviving birds, but so far, none have been sighted in the alternative nesting platforms. So it seems that those who wished the parrots killed at the outset of this sad incident will get their way in a particularly cruel way.

This sad story could have had a much happier ending. But one cannot lay all the blame on the Yacolt politicians and the power company. Community efforts to negotiate a humane solution could have been more effective; from what I have heard from multiple sources, there appears to have been an unfortunate failure of leadership to effectively mobilize individuals, groups, both local and national, that could have stepped in to help avoid this bad ending.

It's tragic and ironic that just as people around the world began to learn that these remarkable birds gave them a reason to visit Yacolt (and provide a new source of eco-tourism revenue to the town and local businesses), it appears that the birds have succumbed to the elements, crushing an opportunity before it had a chance to bloom.

Time Running Out for Yacolt Wild Parrots: Please Help!

A very important meeting is happening tonight in Yacolt, Washington, in which pro-parrot people will be presenting their case to the Yacolt City Council and the Clark PUD (Public Utilities Department). The fate of Yacolt's wild parrots hang in the balance. Please sign our petition - we have 327 signatures but really need a minimum of 500 to be taken seriously. Thanks much!