Parrots of Burbank
As a recent resident of Burbank, I’ve quickly grown to love the town that I now call home. The city seemlessly balances its status as the "Media Capital of the World" with a surprisingly retro, small-town vibe. One of Burbank’s more peculiar and unique features greets you every morning with a distinctive and raucous chirp. One might look up expecting the standard neighborhood songbird, until you spot a flash of neon green and vibrant red up above. Meet the parrots of Burbank!
These colorful transplants didn't fly here on their own accord. Their history in the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys dates back several decades, mostly stemming from the booming exotic pet trade of the 1960s through the 1980s. While local lore loves a good mystery, with tales ranging from a 1959 Pasadena nursery fire to birds escaping the old Busch Gardens theme park in nearby Van Nuys, most arrived as escaped or intentionally released pets. Mainly consisting of Red-crowned Amazons native to northeastern Mexico, these tropical birds quickly realized that Southern California offered an ideal home.
Today, Burbank’s parrot population is thriving and has become an iconic piece of the local landscape. Interestingly, while Red-crowned Amazons are actually considered endangered in their native Mexican habitats due to poaching and deforestation, they have found an unlikely sanctuary in Southern California's lush, suburban ecology. They feast happily on the non-native ornamental trees, palm seeds, and fruit grown in residential yards, seamlessly fitting into the city without disrupting local bird species.
There is something undeniably charming about seeing these tropical icons make themselves right at home. Whether they are gathering in large, chatty roosts at dusk or doing a flyby while you're grabbing coffee down the street, Burbank’s wild parrots serve as a lively, colorful reminder of how resilient and surprising nature can be in the heart of the city.
