This is bird note.

Troublemakers, clowns.

These rowdy crowds of parrots in San Francisco are splashed with maraschino red and pickle green,

as bright and cheery as the iconic painted ladies' houses lining Alamo Square.

The birds are cherry-headed conyers, a species

native to South America and officially known as Red Mast parakeets. An introduced species likely descended

from escaped pets. Several wild flocks of conures now pepper the peninsula. They're the subject of books,

documentaries, and controversy. Some people

disapprove because they displaced locals, a perennial discussion in the city whether you're

talking about birds or people. Their origin is debated. A local legend claims that a pet shop

owner burned down her shop, unleashing the exotic imports. What's more

probable is that a few of these loud mouths exasperated their owners until they accidentally left a window

open. Despite their raucous nature, the parrots delight many tourists and locals.

Come to San Francisco and you just might spy the wild parrots through the fog as they seek their lush diet of pine seeds and juniper berries.

Sadly, wild cherry-headed conures are falling ill from rodent poison.

A non-profit, Mikabu, adopts out healed rescues.

With a life expectancy of 50-plus years, these are long-term roommates.

For Bird Note, I'm Ariana Rimmel.