Field Notes: Wild New Jersey Parrots Crave Pizza

Two wild parrots in New Jersey inspect pizza distributed in their environment.

Wild Quaker Parrot watchers have long known that the parrots that live in Brooklyn have a passion for pizza. Would the same unusual craving affect the parrots living in New Jersey? To answer this question, pizza was distributed in Edgewater's Parrot Park by researchers from both the Brooklyn Parrot Society and EdgewaterParrots.com.

(Click on any photo for an enlarged view).


After the pizza was discovered, we noticed the same peculiar expression of bliss on the Jersey Parrots' faces that had been previously been observed in Brooklyn.


The presence of pizza attracts a local starling, who is clearly interested in the distributed treat.


A tug of war ensues between the starling and the parrot.


The starling is clearly not pleased that this monk parrot's grip on the slice was stronger than his. Fortunately, there is plenty of pizza to go around for both birds.


The pizza clearly had an energizing effect on the parrots.


On this December day, the extra nutrition provided by pizza clearly made these parrots' construction chores easier. Here, a strong monk installs a heavy piece of lumber in a pole nest undergoing renovations.


Coordinated construction operations conducted by the parrots can be witnessed throughout the day in Edgewater.


Watching these parrots wolf down the pizza made us hungry, so we went off and got some for ourselves.