About BrooklynParrots.com

A free-range Wild Quaker Parrot in Brooklyn

BrooklynParrots.com is a site run by Stephen C. Baldwin, a Brooklyn guy who's taken it upon himself to spread the word about what he calls "one of the great freakish natural wonders of New York:" the wild parrots of Brooklyn.


Stephen Baldw illustrates Monk Parakeet Defensive Aerial Combat Techniques. Photo Credit: Amanda Aronczyk

Stephen runs free public trips to bring the public to see the parrots whenever he can; these trips happen on Saturdays. If you'd like to be part of one of these outings, please send him e-mail.

He's trying to raise the profile of these magnificent, hard-working, formerly persecuted birds. "I'm amazed at how many people living on the island of Manhattan regard these birds as urban legends", Stephen says, "just like the crocodiles once reputed to live in the sewers. But these birds are real, they're thriving and yet they're also endangered. Just across the river, in New Jersey, their classification as a 'dangerous species' makes the periodic confrontations between power companies and these birds very perilous exchanges."

Stephen agrees with those who see the Brooklyn parrots not as an evil "invasive species" but as a welcome replacement for the Carolina Parakeet, hunted to extinction almost a century ago. "Frankly, I think these birds deserve to be proclaimed the National Parrot of the USA", Steve says. "They have all of the great qualities we associate with the American character: they're industrious, loyal to each other, they're amazing little engineers, they coexist well with other native birds, and they just won't give up, even when the deck is stacked against them."

When he's not watching the parrots or leading tours to see them, Stephen plays rhythm guitar and sings with a band called The Occuponics.



P.S.: Steve is available to present to your bird group or parrot/pet group and has created a multimedia presentation designed to tell the story of the Brooklyn Parrots. If you have an upcoming event and you think that your audience would be interested in learning about the wild parrots of NYC, please give Steve a call.

Subway Sing-A-Long: Hey Jude

Hey Jude Times Square Subway Station from 39forks on Vimeo.

What a wild, wonderful Saturday. Wild parrots galore in the afternoon, and then this action at Times Square, courtesy of THE MEETLES, the band I'm in, and a great great NY audience.