Non-Native Parrots in Los Angeles From Illegal Pet Trade Increases to 9 Species

Nine species of non-native parrots have been identified by experts in Los Angeles, and they presumably came via the illegal pet trade in the past.

Non-Native Parrots in Los Angeles

Numerous non-native parrots live in Los Angeles, delighting the city's bird lovers. These parrots soar through the air or fill the air with their vibrant squawks from their community roots, whether they are in Santa Monica or Northeast Los Angeles.

Even though they are not native to the US, Los Angeles is home to up to nine different parrot species that were brought there decades ago and have been slowly increasing in numbers. Numerous theories have been sparked by speculation regarding their whereabouts, but the question remains unanswered.

Experts, such as Luke Tiller, president of the Pasadena Audubon Society, think that the parrots entered LA through the pet trade, either as cherished pets that escaped their constraints or as purposely released birds. The parrots have flourished in their new surroundings despite their mysterious arrival.

Red-Crowned Parrots

The red-crowned parrots, one of the biggest types of Amazon parrots found in Los Angeles, are actually doing better in California than in their home Mexico, claims Luke Tiller. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has categorized these parrots as endangered, which indicates a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Surprisingly, researchers think Los Angeles may have more red-crowned parrots than the area where they normally live.

The challenges for the species are exacerbated by habitat loss and the illegal pet trade, but in LA, they are prospering due to successful breeding and community roosting, drawing birdwatchers. They are considered an "established" population in LA by the American Birding Association, guaranteeing their continuous expansion.

The difficulty is in educating returned adults to adjust to the wild, but in the case of a substantial loss in their natural region, scientists would explore restoring LA parrots to replenish their number.

Introduction and Reintroduction Woes

Various endangered birds that were bred in captivity have been reintroduced into their natural habitats, but the outcomes have been variable. Many of those birds were bred in captivity and lacked the "street smarts" necessary to survive in the wild. For LA parrots, who have proven they have what it takes to thrive in the City of Angels, that is not an issue.

There should be worries about conflicts with other bird species or detrimental effects on the local ecology as a result of the thousands of non-native birds moving into Southern California, which is unexpectedly not the case at all.

According to Tiller, this is because the parrots are largely restricted to Los Angeles' sort of metropolitan settings, which doesn't raise concern among ornithologists, The Hill reports.

For Bird Watchers

One of the many pleasures of living in Pasadena is getting to observe a flock of Amazon parrots flying across the city, according to Los Angeles Audubon.

They travel south from Holly, Walnut, and Washington, in the morning. Afterward, a lot of people linger around close to Madison, in the south of Colorado. Others stop by the palm and sycamores near City Hall to relax. Numerous parrots were present in Los Robles and Colorado on a recent morning at 9 AM. Before returning north, they also frequent the trees on Euclid and Union.