Mischievous parrots
Why you should see this documentary about San Francisco’s newest mascot
Our new ambassadors — the cherry-headed conure — recently saw their 2003 film “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill” return to the big screen.
I had a conure growing up. The thing yelled constantly, pooped everywhere and threw up all the time. In no way would I describe Sylvester as a sweet pet, but he was mostly tame and often fun to be around. His screeches, however, eventually drove us to rehome Sylvester to a family member, and then mom got a macaw — because they’re so quiet.
Conures are now the official mascot of San Francisco.
A wild flock of cherry-headed conures took up residence here decades ago, and while the ensuing attention wasn’t exactly a media frenzy, people definitely took notice and often delight. All roads to that attention lead to Mark Bittner, who back then was a drifter with musical aspirations before fashioning himself a pigeon lady and feeding the mischievous creatures. Now I’ve seen them crawling on street lights, accosting tourists in parks, and generally doing what conures do.
Peter Hartlaub and Heather Knight — an SF Chronicle writer and recent alum, respectively — created a poll last year that throws shade on our city’s beloved sea lions, and the conures flew to victory by the tiniest majority of about 51 percent of the vote.
And yes we can credit their victory because they’re resilient, they’re quirky, and they’re pretty, but if you ask me the real reason they won: It’s because the parrots come to us. What long-term San Francisco resident has been to Pier 39 in the last decade? We are lazy AF, and what better way to feel charmed by the city than having a red-headed bird pick off your sandwich while you chug a Tall Boy in Dolores Park?
Parrots are considered pests in many parts of the world. Monk parakeets recently made a name for themselves by mobbing New York, and Uruguay regularly kills them to protect its crops. Likewise, Australia annually culls cockatoos, and although not a parrot, who could forget their great Emu War of 1932? So yes I do think it’s appropriate for San Franciscans to celebrate something considered an annoyance elsewhere.
I digress. The Roxie Theater recently celebrated the conures’ victory by showing “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill,” a documentary by Judy Irving that invites us to appreciate the beauty of unexpected relationships with these birds, and the harmony that can exist between humans and wildlife, even in the midst of a bustling metropolis. It’s been updated to 4K and now — as Irving said — she would love the film to find a “big fat streaming platform.”
I walked in with my typical curmudgeon “ugh I have to leave my comfy home for this” cynicism, but left genuinely touched. Bittner, a bohemian and self-proclaimed “Dharma Bum,” becomes an unwitting guardian of the parrots. His sincere love and understanding of these creatures transform the narrative into an exploration of human-animal connections. Bittner’s personal anecdotes and observations provide backdrop to the crazy birds, adding a layer of emotional depth to the film.
“It is not the film you think it is going to be,” Roger Ebert wrote in 2005. “You walk in expecting some kind of North Beach weirdo and his wild-eyed parrot theories, and you walk out still feeling a little melancholy over the plight of Connor, the only blue-crowned conure in a flock of red-crowned conures.”
After the documentary, Bittner joined Hartlaub, Knight, Irving, and Sarah Lemarié of Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue who undertook getting the film into 4K. I learned the film’s initial run earned around $3 million, which we can guess helped finance a home on Telegraph Hill that Bittner and Irving now share because oh yeah: they are a couple. The pair own two birds, “Parker and Big Bird,” each with different health ailments.
Someone asked: Was it different for them to see this film 21 years later?
“I was weeping a few times. I was a total loner when I started, and they were my only friends,” Bittner said. “I’ve changed.”
So, too has San Francisco. But the birds? Those I suspect will remain a constant for decades to come.
Saul Sugarman is editor in chief of The Bold Italic.
The Bold Italic is a non-profit media organization that’s brought to you by GrowSF, and we publish first-person perspectives about San Francisco and the Bay Area. Donate to us today.
“The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill” runs through January 30th
They added two more showings, on January 27th and January 30th. Tickets are available here.
