Breaking News: Connecticut Wild Parrots Face New and Deadly Threat

A wild Quaker Parrot in Connecticut takes up a defensive position in preparation for further human assaults on his colony.

Two and a half years after activists successfully halted United Illuminating's deadly campaign against the wild parrots of Connecticut, a Connecticut Superior Court judge has allowed UI to resume its parrot-killing policy. While there is no immediate indication that United Illuminating will resort to such deadly measures in the next few weeks, it now has a legal free hand and it appears that nothing short of an act of the Connecticut legislature can spare the parrots from further harm.

This legal defeat is a serious blow to Wild Parrot Conservationists and other groups concerned with the welfare of wild animals. From what I have learned, it appears that the legal strategy pursued by Friends of Animals was deeply flawed. The groups has stated that it intends to appeal the decision but the damage is deep, and the parrots will find themselves in serious danger in the weeks and months ahead.

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.

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.

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!

Yacolt Wild Parrots Get Human-Made Homes!

Both photos by Chris Driggins

Here are two recent photos taken by Chris Driggins, of www.nwbirdrescue.com, showing one of the recently constructed alternate nest platforms built in Yacolt, Washington, for the wild parrots displaced by the local utility company. The sticks placed at the top of these nests weren't placed by the parrots, but were put there as an inducement for them to begin construction. With any luck at all, the parrots will soon discover it and begin rebuilding their destroyed homes.

Chris has trying to work with members of the Yacolt Quaker Parrot Preservation Association and the Quaker Parrot Society to keep the parrots alive through the cold months. You can read more about the Yacolt Wild Parrot Crisis by clicking here and you can tell officials in the town of Yacolt and the Clark County Public Utilities Department to end their anti-parrot pogrom by signing our online petition.

Breaking News: Wild Parrot Expert Travels to Yacolt; Allegations Continue Over Utility Company Misconduct

Today, bad news is mixed with the good in the continuing Wild Parrot Crisis of Yacolt, Washington. While residents of Yacolt struggle mightily to erect alternative nest platforms for the wild parrots of Yacolt, there is reason to question the behavior of the Clark County Public Utilities Department. Wild parrot advocate Alison Evans-Fragale, who is following the situation closely, sent the following two emergency e-mail updates to wild parrot conservation groups noting some of these allegations, which are highly troubling. At the same time, internationally renowned Quaker Parrot expert Jon-Mark Davey is travelling from Florida to Yacolt in an effort to moderate the situation.

Update 1/21/07: An online petition has been uploaded; it petitions the Town of Yacolt and the Clark County Public Utilities Department to spare the wild parrots' lives. Please sign it and pass it on if you would like to see these innocent creatures granted clemency.

(E-mails from Alison Evans-Fragale, of EdgewaterParrots.com)

The "(parrots') stay of execution" ends on March 27th, at which time Clark PUD is expected to resume their efforts to slaughter the wild Monk Parakeets that call Yacolt their home.

Clark PUD claims they have stopped killing for now, yet today they were videotaped removing nests from utility poles in a blizzard with temperatures below 30 degrees. Additionally, I was sent photos of the poor parakeets soaking wet and freezing, watching as their homes were destroyed. Clark PUD may claim that they are not killing the birds, but the inhumane treatment they are inflicting on the birds by rendering them homeless and exposing them to severe cold will ultimately cause each bird to die a slow and uncomfortable death.

The utility company continues to lie to the public, adhering to the mantra that the birds are pests and pose a threat to their equipment. This has to stop. There are humane alternatives, and we need to join together to put an end to Clark PUD's inhumanity.

Below is the letter I sent to the local newspapers, as well as Yacolt's Mayor and Council, and Dean Sutherland at Clark PUD.

I encourage you to send your comments in defense of the Yacolt parakeets to:

• Tom Vogt at the newspaper, The Columbian: tom.vogt@columbian.com


• The Oregonian newspaper: holleygilbert@news.oregonian.com


• The Reflector newspaper: staff@thereflector.com


• The Mayor and Council of Yacolt, Washington at: TownOfYacolt@aol.com


• Dean Sutherland at Clark Public Utility: DSutherland@clarkpud.com

Kindly forward this message to bird boards or anyone you think may want to help the wild parakeets. We are the only hope they have.

Alison

Alison Evans-Fragale alison@edgewaterparrots.com wrote:

Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 18:45:25 -0800 (PST)
From: Alison Evans-Fragale
Subject: Letter on Behalf of Yacolt's Wild Monk Parakeets
To: undisclosed recipients

Dean Sutherland, Director of Community Affairs for Clark Public Utilities, recently stated, "Clark Public Utilities is not involved in the design or implementation of the recovery or preservation efforts related to the parakeets in Yacolt".

Not involved?! Clark PUD established the parameters and deadlines for the slaughter of the Yacolt's wild Monk Parakeets, and they are responsible for the reason things are the way they are today! They failed to maintain the nests, and now they are trying to pass the buck to the local Mayor and Council.

If Clark PUD CARES, as they claim to, they should be working night and day to find a solution. If not, they have no right to demand the birds are killed or relocated!

No one knows more about what can work on the wires or poles, and individuals involved in the attempt to save the birds need input from Clark PUD to come up with a viable solution. In Edgewater, New Jersey, PSE&G and the Edgewater Parrots team developed a successful strategy to humanely manage Edgewater's population of over 200 Monk Parakeets. We were successful because we worked together. Monk Parakeet rescuers in Yacolt should DEMAND that Clark PU work with them for the very same reason!

Clark PUD should be working WITH rescuers in Yacolt -- period -- for so many reasons, including:

Every single effort to eradicate the wild Monks has proven unsuccessful. That would leave them holding the bag for the unnecessary murder of innocent birds AND having to deal with bad PR. Any benefit they think they might gain by exterminating the birds would be lost in a sea of bad PR for them -- not just locally, but nationwide!

Working with the community is excellent PR for the utility company— -- murdering innocent birds while they sleep and submitting them for research is not. At a minimum, Clark PU should realize that they are creating a public relations problem that exceeds any benefit they think they might gain by slaughtering the birds.

There are many alternatives to killing. Public discussion with the community and with other power companies who face the same situation, will result in viable and cost effective solutions to this problem, while affording protection to Monk Parakeets, and allowing the community of Yacolt to continue to enjoy and respect wildlife.

I can't help but wonder why Clark PUD has chosen to kill instead of re-engineering its assets to dissuade the parrots from building their nests in utility poles.

Evidently, Clark PUD imbibed the USDA Kool-Aid. Despite their statement that the wild Monk Parakeets pose no threat, the USDA, and other companies, including one named Pandion, hold seminars to teach utility companies how to kill the birds, as well as seminars on how to "manage" public opinion. The false information fed to the residents of Yacolt by Clark PUD is the same "lesson" taught to utility companies and released to the public in CT, NY, and Florida. It is released to the public with the hope that the information will convince the public to see the birds as pests and tolerate the senseless killing.

Clark PUD is lying to residents of Yacolt. The truth is that the birds not pose a threat to agriculture or other birds. Their nests do not weigh 2,400 pounds. The nests do not cause pole fires.

Additionally, Clark PUD did not remove the nests after the breeding season in an effort to be humane. They employed a strategy utilized by all utility companies: to remove the nests when it is cold to insure that the ones they don't catch will die from exposure and stall when removing the nests until it is so late that no one will be around to see what they do.

Clark PUD released a statement that they are not killing the birds, yet they were caught on video-tape removing a nest just today! Nest removals at this time of year exposes the birds to extreme weather, including sleet, snow, and freezing temperatures, and this on-going practice of removing nests as they are being re-built is certain to result in a slow and cruel death for the few Monk Parakeets that survived the attempted eradication a few weeks ago.

The "euthanasia" they employ is far from humane. The birds that are trapped in their nets suffer multiple crush injuries, broken wings and limbs, and severed extremities before they are thrown into a gas chamber or sent to a research facility in Florida or Colorado.

There are humane solutions. In New Jersey, PSE&G successfully manages a population of over 200 wild Monk parakeets by utilizing humane solutions, including bi-annual nest removals during temperate weather, both before and after the breeding season. They also install orange insulating sleeves on utility poles after removing the nests, which deter re-building efforts. PSE&G has offered to discuss their efforts with Clark PU, but, to date, Clark has not made any effort to contact PSE&G.

Yacolt residents deserve to be told the truth by Clark PUD. They should be angry that they are being manipulated and should demand that and that Clark PU work with rescuers and consult with other utility companies in an effort to provide humane treatment of the parakeets as well as to preserve nature in their town.

Anyone wishing proof of anything I have stated in my letter, please contact me by e-mail at: alison@edgewaterparrots.com. I stand by my words and am more than happy to share my evidence with any individual who wants to know the truth and help save the Monk Parakeets of Yacolt.

Alison Evans-Fragale RN, MSN, CFNP, CLNC
Founder
EdgewaterParrots.com
Edgewater, New Jersey

Citizens of Yacolt, Washington Raise First "Monk Bunker" For Homeless Wild Parrots

In a surprisingly hopeful development in the Yacolt, Washington Wild Parrot Crisis, several citizens have succeeded in erecting the first of several artificial parrot nesting platforms. Plenty of work went on behind the scenes before the first platform could be built, including securing permits. Providing non-power infrastucture roosting platforms has worked in Connecticut: let's all keep our fingers crossed that the Yacolt Quaker Parrots will adopt these "monk bunkers" soon!

Monkzilla of Manhattan Beach Addresses Wild Parrot Crisis in Yacolt, Washington

One of Brooklyn's senior feral parrots broke his traditional silence to address the dire situation faced by his distant relatives in Yacolt, Washington. This parrot, widely known in South Brooklyn as "Monkzilla," minces no words in calling for a humane solution to the Wild Parrot Crisis in Washington.



For more information on the Wild Quaker Parrot Crisis in Yacolt, Washington, see:

• Perch On, Oh Yacolt Parakeets! (Poets Weigh in on Yacolt Wild Parrot Crisis) (December 13, 2007)


• Yacolt Wild Parrot Preservation Efforts Continue (With a Few Hitches) (December 10, 2007)


• Citizens of Yacolt, Washington, Rally to Save Their Free-Range Quaker Parrots (December 07, 2007)


• Yacolt Wild Parrot Crisis Deteriorates Into Chaos and Confusion (December 05, 2007)


• Update on Endangered Wild Quaker Parrots of Yacolt, Washington (November 30, 2007)


• BREAKING NEWS: Wild Parrot Killings Halted in Washington State (November 28, 2007)


• Update on Washington State Wild Parrot Killings (November 28, 2007)


• RED ALERT: Wild Parrots in Washington State Are Being Killed by U.S.D.A., Clark County Public Utilities (November 27, 2007)

Perch On, Oh Yacolt Parakeets! (Poets Weigh in on Yacolt Wild Parrot Crisis)

The poets have spoken. The Wild Parrots of Yacolt, Washington must be saved.

The only thing I'd object to is the line "a thimble can contain your brains." It's not the size of one's computing mechanism that counts, otherwise the room-sized computers of 1952 would be able to out-compute today's mobile processors. It's the degree of integration, and I can tell you that our beloved Monks are well-integrated beasties!

Anyway, this latest missive from the artsy crowd is a favorable indication that perhaps the wild Quaker Parrots of Yacolt can be saved. After all, once the poets jump on the bandwagon it's a sure bet that public opinion has shifted in the right direction. And by the way, if you'd like to read a poem closer to the heart of parrot-crazy Brooklyn, please check out our The Brooklyn Parrots Christmas Poem.

Yacolt Wild Parrot Crisis Deteriorates Into Chaos and Confusion

I am saddened to report that the wild parrot controversy in Yacolt Washington appears to have descended into near anarchy. According to my source, an emergency meeting called last weekend to discuss the fate of the Wild Quaker Parakeets of Yacolt devolved into a blizzard of "name-calling" and ad hominem attacks.

The gathered pro-parrot groups now appear split into three warring contingents: those who want to capture the parrots and give them sanctuary in a parrot-friendly city, those who want them to remain free, and those who want to capture and sell them back to Yacolt city residents for $75 each. As my correspondent (who favors keeping the parrots wild) notes, "it's now a 3-ring circus and open game on the poor Quaker Parrots." At the same time, unnamed officials of the City of Yacolt have issued an ironclad edict giving the parrots four months to "get out of town" or face a team of trained snipers (an event which was only narrowly averted last week).

While I had high hopes that there might be a happy ending to this crisis, it now appears to me that the situation in Yacolt is clearly beyond rational solution. While I count myself in the camp favoring keeping the parrots wild, it seems that the parrots have so many human enemies in the City of Yacolt that allowing them to remain there would put them in severe peril.

Wild parrots will never survive in places where powerful authorities collectively decide to be rid of them: we learned that in the 19th Century in the sad case of the Carolina Parakeet, which was hunted to extinction, and we appear to be learning it again in the City of Yacolt, Washington, which is clearly bent on making its skies parrot-free. At the very least let us rescue the remaining birds before April 1, 2008 and avoid another deadly fusillade.

Update on Endangered Wild Quaker Parrots of Yacolt, Washington

A quick update from Yacolt, Washington. My correspondent tells me that the situation there remains tense. Yacolt City officials refuse to allow artificial nest platforms for the homeless parrots to be constructed: they want the parrots removed, and will kill any remaining there past a date certain.

Neither the power company (Clark County Public Utilities, AKA "PUD") nor the town will tolerate the presence of wild parrots in Yacolt, so the only hope for those who want to save them is to capture them and relocate them to a town willing to accept them.

There will be a gathering of bird groups and bird rescuers in Yacolt this weekend to discuss the stand-off. In the meantime, a grass-roots group, the Yacolt Quaker Parrot Preservation Association, has been formed to fight the wild parrot eradication effort. A Rapid Response Team from the Quaker Parakeet Society has been dispatched to inspect the situation on the ground and in the air.

There are a lot of raw emotions in Yacolt tonight. My correspondent writes: "I was very heart broken listening to the people. They love those parrots so much and they are so angry that the city didn't informed them on what their plans were. I had an old lady cry in my arms. She doesn't want these birds to leave or die. They are all she has in life right now."

My hope is that officials in the City of Yacolt change their mind, but I know that a lot of people don't really have much feeling for the natural world, and some people just don't like animals. Maybe Yacolt is just one of those places.

What's clear is that if the majority of people of Yacolt and their elected leadership don't want wild parrots flying free in their city, the parrots won't be around for much longer. It's too bad, because the presence of these wonderful birds was already making Yacolt a popular stop-over for parrot-watchers. As one resident declared, "the parrots put Yacolt on the map."

There will certainly be more news to report soon. Right now, all I can say is that I'm very glad that our civic leaders in Brooklyn, including Borough President Marty Markowitz, have a different viewpoint, and recognize that having wild parrots around is a wonderful thing.

For more on the Endangered Wild Quaker Parrots of Yacolt, Washington, see:

• BREAKING NEWS: Wild Parrot Killings Halted in Washington State
• RED ALERT: Wild Parrots in Washington State Are Being Killed by U.S.D.A., Clark County Public Utilities
• Wild Monk Parrots Popping Up in Yacolt, WA

BREAKING NEWS: Wild Parrot Killings Halted in Washington State

I'm pleased to report that Clark Public Utilities and the U.S.D.A. have called off their plan to kill the remaining wild parrots in Yacolt, Washington. My correspondents tell me that this decision was taken only because of overwhelming public opposition. The Web site of local TV station KGW also reports the fact that they have been spared.

Thanks to all of you who protested against this cruel action: this is great news but many issues remain, including how these parrots, now homeless, can possibly survive the winter. My hope is that the good citizens of Yacolt will construct artificial nest platforms and put out plenty of food so that the survivors have a shot. But at least we can all breathe a bit easier tonight: the killing has stopped and reason (always a scarce thing) has somehow prevailed.

Again, thanks for all your support, Steve Baldwin, Webmaster, BrooklynParrots.com

Update on Washington State Wild Parrot Killings

Several new developments have occurred in the past 24 hours since I posted the original story about the Washington State Quaker Parrot killings. At least one exotic bird rescue group has approached Clark Public Utilities offering to rescue the birds. But an official known as "Lena" rebuffed the offer. My correspondent adds that "the PUD (Clark Public Utilities) does know all these other ways (of humanely controlling the parrots)" but for some unknown reason went ahead anyway.

Please call "Lena" at Clark Public Utilities and ask her to reconsider her decision. If you make the call, be polite and civil but also rational and firm. The number is 360-992-3000. I am told that the utility company is holding a meeting today to decide on a future course of action. Let's hope they opt to take the humane course.

Update 11/28: The website of The Columbian, a local newspaper in Clark County, has a poignant story (with a short video) on the plight of the Yacolt wild parrots.

RED ALERT: Wild Parrots in Washington State Are Being Killed by U.S.D.A., Clark County Public Utilities

I received a disturbing report today from a resident of Washington State. According to her e-mail, Clark Public Utilities has announced that it will be killing the 50 or so wild Quaker Parrots that have lived in Yacolt, Washington, for some time.

I contacted Clark Public Utilities and have not heard back from them. In the meantime, this news story has appeared: 3 of the 50 wild parrots in Yacolt have already been killed.

You may register your comments with Clark Public Utilities by clicking on this e-mail link, which will connect you to their general mailbox. You can also call Clark Public Utilities at 360-992-3000. (Note: Please be civil if you call Clark Public Utilities. In my view, these people are misguided but should not be abused verbally. Please convey your message calmly, even though this is obviously an emotional subject.) Also, please forward this item to any anti-cruelty animal groups you think might be effective in terms of stopping these killings.

Update: 11/28: New story on this situation. The U.S.D.A. is the party actually doing the killing (although this issue has nothing to do with agriculture). Please call the regional office of the U.S.D.A. to protest at (360) 883-1987 (phone) and (360) 885-2284 fax

Disturbing News From Burnham, Illinois: You Can Help

I received a call today from a woman in Chicago, Illinois. Her report was very disturbing. Apparently, gangs of young men are shooting the wild Quakers that live in Burnham, which is a suburb of Chicago.

I am attempting to develop information before contacting the media. You can assist me if you know:

1. Whether this situation is in fact occurring.


2. Who in Chicago media I should direct my contact to get in touch with.


3. The names, e-mails and phone numbers of regional anti-cruelty organizations active in the Chicago area.


4. Academic institutions in Chicago area that might be able to exert influence.


5. Church groups in Chicago who might have community influence in Burnham.


6. Chicago-based bird groups that might have influence in Burnham.


7. Political leaders who are pro-wildlife and/or anti-gun violence.

If you have any other suggestions, please let me know. Time is of the essence.

Thanks much,
Steve Baldwin

Connecticut Parrots Face Tough Week Ahead

The wild parrot flocks living in Connecticut face a mass nest tear-down this week. According to an article in the New Haven Register, the United Illuminating Company will tear down 89 nests beginning this Tuesday.

Thanks to pressure from pro-parrot groups, United Illuminating will reportedly not harm the birds, but UI's actions must be monitored closely, because it has an extremely poor record when it comes to treating wild parrots humanely. In 2005, the company, in concert with the U.S.D.A. and several private Florida-based energy consultants, killed several hundred wild parrots in an action which its spokesman, Al Carbone, infamously characterized as a "final solution" to the wild parrot issue. Only after mass protests in Connecticut and a lawsuit from a local animal rights group were the so-called "Thanksgiving Killings" halted.

I am pleased that UI has apparently changed its stance from lethal to non-lethal wild parrot control methods. This is a step in the right direction. No one questions the need for utility companies to maintain their infrastructure: all that we ask is that UI employ the same best practices already employed by responsible utility companies such as Con Edison (in New York) and PSE&G (in New Jersey). These practices include timing nest removals for September (when the young have fledged) or March (between the onset of warm weather and parrot mating season). The fact that these removals are happening now, in late October, instead of September, suggests that UI still has some work to do before it is in compliance with these best practices. Fortunately, unusually warm weather patterns in the Northeast means that most of the evicted parrots will probably survive.

There is much more that can be done to accommodate the divergent needs of parrot and mankind. Extra insulation can be applied to electrical lines near poles in which the parrots nest. Orange reflective tags can be attached to deter the parrots from re-nesting in sensitive infrastructure (this approach has worked both in New York and New Jersey). Alternative nest platforms can be deployed to provide safe housing for the parrots: this approach has been successful in Connecticut and in Texas.

My hope is that UI will explore these methods, because they provide a win-win situation for its stakeholders and the wild animals which inhabit its operating areas. Let's hope that its change of stance in this teardown is a sign that UI is taking all of these concerns more seriously than it has in the past.

BrooklynParrots.com Reserves BoycottBarcelona.Com Domain

It looks like the wild parrot hunt in Barcelona, Spain, will go ahead. I've reached out to everyone I know but it no major international wildlife or humane society appears to be willing to take action.

I have therefore reserved the domain name BoycottBarcelona.com. I will build a site there alerting the public to what is happening in Barcelona. I will urge them not to visit this city or spend any dollars there.

American tourists spend $20 Billion a year in Europe. I will take the site down once I have calculated that a loss of at least $1 million U.S. dollars has occurred due to visitors going elsewhere. This money should be spent in cities in Europe and elsewhere which refrain from hunting their urban wildlife. I have no beef with the citizens of Spain or of Barcelona, but in lieu of effective opposition taken there must resort to this course of action.

Please Sign Our Petition to Protest The Upcoming Wild Parrot Hunt in Barcelona, Spain

A contact e-mailed me news that the Monk Parakeets of Spain are living on borrowed time. Apparently the City of Barcelona has authorized a program to wipe them out. So hunting will soon begin. The link to the article is here (it's in Spanish). Here is a translation of the article (thanks to Pat from the Quaker Parrot Society list for this:)

------------------------------
The Hunting of the Argentina Monk Parrot as an exotic invasive species is authorized in Barcelona

There are 1,500 of the birds in Barcelona. The Department of Environment and Ecology has authorized for the first time the hunt of the Monk parrot of Argentina in consideration of its status as an exotic invasive species. The goal is to control the population and minimize the “negative” impact made on the environment.

It is estimated that in all of the province of Catalán, there are 2,000 of the birds, but 1,500 are in the city of Barcelona. They are rapidly reproducing in this capital city of Catalán and their nests are causing problems, since they build each with about 20,000 tree branches. Further, these nests weigh about 50 kilograms and can cause great damage to pedestrians if they fall on top of them.

Damage to crops
In Llobregat, 200 Monk parrots spoiled 50,000 tomatoes and half the corn of the area. Not only has the Monk parrot been conquering urban spaces, but in recent years has been spreading also to rural areas. The hunting of the American mink has also been authorized.
------------------------------

This is what happens when cities fail to manage their populations of wild parrots via non-lethal means. Resorting to lethal means is an infallible indicator of gross mismanagement. Instead of investigating humane solutions, people reach for a "final solution." We've seen this happen in Connecticut, and now we're seeing it again in Spain.

My contact asks me whether anything can be done. Unfortunately, I have no contacts in Spain. But I have launched an online petition which you can sign. Please take a minute to do so: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/barcelonapetition/ (NOTE: There is a donation box which appears after you sign the petition. You don't have to donate to ipetitions.com - this is completely optional. If you don't want to donate, simply click your browser's "Back" button - your signature will still be recorded).

Here are additional steps you can take:

• Contact the President of Spain
  President of the Government of Spain
  His Excellecy José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
  Palacio de la Moncloa
  28071 Madrid
  Spain
  +34 913 900 217 (fax)
  jlrzapatero@presidencia.gob.es


• Contact the Spanish Interior Minister
  The Honourable Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba
  Interior Minister
  Paseo de la Castellana, 5
  28046 – Madrid
  Spain
  +34 915371111
  +34 915371003 (fax)


• Contact the Spanish Environmental Minister
  The Honourable Cristina Narbona Ruiz
  Minister of the Environment
  Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz, s/n
  28071- Madrid
  Spain
  +34 91 5976000
  http://www.mma.es/portal/secciones/contacto/
  


• Contact the Spanish Consulate in New York. E-mail address: cog.nuevayork@mae.es; phone number: 212-355-4080.


• Contact the Spanish Embassy in Washington, DC. E-mail address: embespus@mail.mae.es.


• Contact the official Spanish Tourism Site. Use the site's CONTACT form (at the top of the page) to send E-mail.

Be polite but inform them that unless a non-lethal way is found to control the monk population in Barcelona, and unless this hunt is called off, you will do the following:

1. Refuse to visit Spain in the future.


2. Tell everyone you know who's going to Europe to avoid Spain, and specifically avoid the City of Barcelona.


3. Do not buy any products imported from Spain. Tell everyone you know that Spanish products should not be consumed.

There are probably other good ways to protest this incident of irresponsible animal cruelty. If you can think of any, please send me e-mail.

Ultimately, it will be up to the citizens of Barcelona whether they want to countenance this kind of cruelty. I would hate to think that Barcelona will forever be known as the "Capital of Cruelty to Parrots in Europe."

Struggle To Save Connecticut Wild Parrots Continues

The monk parrot is often called "the world's most persecuted parrot," and a lot of good people on the East Coast are trying to end the persecution, including Donna Dwyer, who has done much to stop their slaughter by energy companies in Connecticut. I received this note from Donna today; it is disappointing news but just means that those who want to see a free-range parrot flying again in North American skies must work harder in the future. It also shows that the Alternative Nest Platforms built to lure the parrots from the utility poles are working:

UPDATE June 2006:

File No. 404, (Substitute House Bill No. 5804) did not make it to be called for a vote before the deadline closing of this past legislative session. Our efforts must begin again in the next legislative session. We will again be seeking passage of this legislation. We will need your support just as much and probably more in the future.

In the meantime there are ways you can help. If you have quaker nests near your property and are willing to provide possible alternative shelter for these birds on your property, helping to keep them off the poles and out of the hands of the utility company that seeks to destroy them, PLEASE contact Donna at donna@ctquakers.com and let us know. We have several structures ready for use.

If you have nearby or aware of quaker nest locations please contact Donna with the information. UI has been removing some more nests. We want to stay on top of what is going on in this regard. Your help is crucial. PLEASE help keep these beautiful parrots flying free here in CT. Remember the country's only native parrot, The Carolina Parakeet, was once hunted and killed to the point of extinction.

If you are able to assist with construction and/or erection of alternative bird platforms please contact us. Help of any kind is much appreciated. Maybe you can physically help build or erect, maybe you have materials to donate, maybe a truck to transport or deliver, maybe you have ideas to contribute, whatever you have to offer is important to the effort please do not hesitate to contact with whatever assistance you can. No contribution is too small, it is only through the efforts of many concerned individuals that our goal to protect the quakers will be realized.

In closing, on a positive note, there are quakers in residence in the very first platform we put up on Christmas eve (in Lordship, CT). As well as the one on Ocean Ave, in West Haven, CT. See attached photo of the Lordship Platform.

Also, NJ Audubon has agreed to SUPPORT Senate Bill 1768. This will help in the goal of getting the quakers, in the neighboring state of NJ, off the dangerous species list there. Our thanks goes out to everyone supporting NJ's quakers also.

Donna
www.ctquakers.com

Bill to Protect Wild Parrots Advances in Connecticut

The feral parrots of Brooklyn rejoiced when they read an article in The Connecticut Post reporting that on March 21st, the CT State Legislature's Environment Committee approved, by unanimous vote, a bill protecting southwestern Connecticut's monk parakeet population from eradication.

This is terrific news: just a few months ago, United Illuminating's deadly and misguided wild parrot eradication campaign made headlines around the world. With a little luck, some skillful politicking, and a lot of hard work, Connecticut's wild parrots may be spared this kind of cruelty in the future.

Wild Connecticut Parrots Take Up Defensive Positions in "Monk Bunkers"

A wild monk parrot in Connecticut peers out of his "monk bunker," scanning the distant horizon for any sign of United Illuminating's work crews. Photo credit: Marc Johnson

For the moment, United Illuminating has abandoned its parrot-eradication campaign in Connecticut, after being confronted by public protests and a lawsuit filed by local activists.

But Connecticut's wild parrots aren't taking any chances, and several groups of birds have already taken up defensive positions in artificial nesting platforms, otherwise known as "Monk Bunkers," designed by FosterParrots.com's Marc Johnson and constructed by local Connecticut citizens.


A view of "Monk Bunker Alley" in West Haven. Photo credit: Marc Johnson

The first "Monk Bunker" to actually attract displaced parrots was, appropriately enough, sited on Julie Cook's property. Julie heroically stood up to the killing crews last November, was hauled off in handcuffs, and was only released after a video tape of her arrest proved that she was never read her Miranda rights.


A Quaker construction crew at work on the upper part of a "Monk Bunker." Photo credit: Marc Johnson

The success of Johnson's "Monk Bunkers" in attracting displaced parrots from power lines promises to greatly enhance the prospects of free-range monk parrots in the U.S.A. It also belies the claim made by power companies such as Florida Power and Light and United Illuminating that lethal parrot control methods are justified because there is no way to humanely convince the birds to abandon their positions in electrical infrastructure.


A Connectitut Monk brings in a fresh twig to refortify the lookout position of a "Monk Bunker" in West Haven. Photo credit: Marc Johnson

Monk Bunkers will be marketed to the public via a soon-to-be launched Web site, monkbunkers.com, and via a national radio ad campaign. A new 30-second radio spot for the Monk Bunkers is now online.

Yankee Ingenuity Trumps Cruelty in Connecticut

Two surviving and formerly homeless Quaker parrots displaced by United Illuminating's wild parrot eradication campaign found safe haven in Julie Cook's artificial nest on January 18th, 2005. Photo by Joanne Smith.

During the darkest moments of the Connecticut Quaker Parrot Crisis of 2005, Julie Cook's example gave pro wild parrot activists strength. When United Illuminating came for the parrots she knew and loved in West Haven, she refused to step aside. Instead, she actively blocked the "death squad", and was promptly handcuffed, fingerprinted, and locked up for the night. Only after it was discovered that she had not been read her Miranda rights was Julie freed.

Two months later, a lot has happened in Connecticut. United Illuminating, pressed by a lawsuit, has temporarily stopped killing the parrots. Citizens are building artificial nesting platforms designed by Marc Johnson (see photos below). And yesterday: wonder of wonders, a pair of the displaced parrots decided to take up residence right in the artificial nest that Julie built in her yard: the first birds to do so in West Haven.

This development isn't just a beautifully poetic event for Julie and the birds she likely saved from the gas chamber. The success of artificial nesting platforms in Connecticut is likely to inspire further development of artificial nesting platforms - not by expensive consulting firms, well-endowed universities, or profit-through-the-roof energy companies - but by private citizens who love the birds and want to help them.

Last Saturday, I attended one of these grass-roots parrot nest building workshops, held in Fairfield. I hope to use these photos to generate, with Marc Johnson's help, a "how to build a wild monk parrot nest" e-book that can be freely distributed on the Web. In the meantime, here are some photos of the process: more info and a materials list are available at friendsofanimals.org.


9-foot sections of chicken wire are folded over, stuffed with hay and laid with twigs. This encourages the monk parrots to investigate the structure and help themselves to building materials.


4-inch PVC pipe, bonded into a channel, supports the main nest subassembly. The "walls" that will eventually support an upper "roof" are screwed in from below using a screw gun.


A view of the completed nest subassembly.


Marc Johnson attaches chicken wire to the nearly completed nest subassembly. The chicken wire gives the wild Quaker Parrots a surface into which they can easily weave thorny twigs.


The nest subassembly is "rolled" across the 9-foot "chicken wire stuffed with twigs and-hay" assembly. Excess is clipped using wire cutters.


Twigs are used to create nest entrances characteristic of those engineered by Quaker Parrots.


Excess chicken wire is stapled to the wooden underside of the main nest subassembly.


Seven nest assemblies were completed last Saturday in one 4-hour work session. They were shipped to West Haven for installation on private property, where, it is hoped, parrots will want to move into them.



A wild monk parrot in Connecticut guarding his human-engineered "monk bunker" against hostile forces from the USDA and United Illuminating. Photo credit: Marc Johnson


An early 2006 view of "Monk Bunker Alley" in West Haven, Connecticut. Photo credit: Marc Johnson

Pro-Parrot Lawsuit Filed Against Connecticut Utility Company

I received this message via e-mail today. It directly relates to the Connecticut Quaker Parakeet Crisis of 2005. Needless to say, I support this effort, and am also supporting efforts to get the parrots off the poles via alternate nest structures built on private property.

Media Advisory: Friends of Animals Sues United Illuminating Over Parakeet Gassing

For Immediate Release
12 January 2006
ContactPriscilla Feral, President: feral@friendsofanimals.org
Operation Parakeet Hotline: 203.656.1522
Lee Hall, Legal Director: leehall@friendsofanimals.org

Darien, CT -- Friends of Animals, a leading voice for responsible policies for animals, is immediately serving a Complaint against the United Illuminating Co. on behalf of Connecticut’s monk parakeets.

Refugees of the exotic pet trade, monk parakeets have lived freely in Connecticut, mostly in fir trees and oaks, for 30 to 40 years. Dwight G. Smith, who chairs the biology department at Southern Connecticut State University, said the birds -- actually small parrots -- provide nests for sparrows, finches, and owls, as well as themselves.

But the United Illuminating Co. (UI), an electric utility for southern Connecticut’s New Haven and Bridgeport areas, claims the green birds are a nuisance and a hazard.

With the blessing of the Connecticut Audubon Society and the National Audubon Society, UI has set about killing the birds in a campaign to remove their thatched-stick shelters from utility poles.

Friends of Animals seeks long-term policy change

United Illuminating’s parrot extermination campaign was short-circuited in December, after the company assured the Court it would stop netting the birds and turning them over to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has been asphyxiating them in carbon dioxide chambers.

“We came out of Court with news of a temporary halt in the roundups and gassings of parakeets,” said Friends of Animals president Priscilla Feral.

“But we need responsible, long-term policies,” Feral explained. “The UI Co. dimmed the lights of holiday cheer in Connecticut. We’re demanding brighter ideas for the future, and, from state policy-makers, less flighty conduct.”

While UI has failed to implement prudent methods of dissuading these birds from nesting upon utility poles, people in the community have risen to the occasion. A platform construction workshop will be held this Saturday (14 Jan.) to show how to make a viable alternative that can keep parrots off poles, yet living and flying free.

Derek V. Oatis, a Manchester lawyer representing Friends of Animals, said, “We’re asking for a judgment declaring that the law requires UI to implement routine maintenance and prevent nesting, and a permanent injunction against the capturing and killing of the monk parakeets.”

Added Priscilla Feral, “Maintaining the public trust requires a redirection of resources from the tormenting of the birds to an enlightened response, one that rejects killing or experimenting on the birds or holding them captive.”

Controversy over the extermination has reached newspapers nationwide, and as far as London, England. And a growing concern for the birds has come from Connecticut legislators, including U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro and Christopher Shays, and state Rep. Richard Roy.

Please Help Connecticut's Homeless Parrots

This December, pro-parrot citizens in Connecticut were able to get United Illuminating and the USDA to quit killing the wild parrots which live there. But UI continues to destroy their nests. These wild parrots' lives have been spared, but they're homeless and very cold: please, if you have a few dollars, donate to the alternate nest building program being run by Marc Johnson and hosted at friendsofanimals.org.

BREAKING NEWS: Connecticut Parakeet Killings Halted

I have just received word from Laurel Lundstrom, of friendsofanimals.org, that United Illuminating has agreed to stop -- at least temporarily -- killing wild parrots in Connecticut. Thanks to everyone who squawked so loudly that a powerful energy company had to back down! More on this story as it evolves - you can post comments at friendsofanimals.org.

Maybe there IS a Santa Claus!

Photo-Essay: The Parrots of December

It's cold in the Northeast, but the wild parrots of New York City, which reside happily in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens, are adapting to the change in the weather. Winter is a trial for all of us, but these birds are resourceful, and will likely make it through this winter without too much trouble. I wish the same could be said for their brethren in Connecticut, but that's another story.

I took these pictures on December 2, 2005 to show you a few scenes from a day in the life of a wild Brooklyn Parrot. Enjoy - please click on any thumbnail to see a larger image.


With temperatures in the 30's, you'd expect these little parrots to be staying snuggled up inside their well-insulated nests. But they're out and about, and they often perch while puffing u