The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill is the inspiring story of how one man found his life’s work—and true love—among a gang of wild parrots roosting in one of America’s most picturesque urban settings. Mark Bittner was down on his luck. He’d gone to San Francisco at the age of twenty-one to take a stab at a music career, but he hadn’t had much success. After many years as an odd-jobber in the … odd-jobber in the area, he accepted work as a housekeeper for an elderly woman. The gig came with a rent-free studio apartment on the city’s famed Telegraph Hill, which had somehow become home to a flock of brilliantly colored wild parrots.
In this unforgettable story, Bittner recounts how he became fascinated by the birds and made up his mind to get to know them and gain their trust. He succeeds to such a degree that he becomes the local wild parrot expert and a tourist attraction. People can’t help gawking at the man who, during daily feedings, stands with parrots perched along both arms and atop his head. When a documentary filmmaker comes along to capture the phenomenon on film, the story takes a surprising turn, and Bittner’s life truly takes flight.
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Too many questions went unanswered – how did the main character earn money to feed the parrots?, ho;w did he find places to live? etc. Seems like he & the birds lived in filth.
Mark, the author of the book tells the true story of his life on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco. He got acquainted with the wild parrots that came daily to the place where he was living. Mark began to see the differences in each bird and began naming them and feeding them. He took care of the ones that got injured or sick. Mark kept copious journals which lead him to write the book and also to make a film with the lady he fell in love with.
misleading, more about So Amer than parrot(s)
Love this guy!
I loved this! The quirky nonconformist who finds purpose for years in the relationships he establishes with these parrots, and the parrots themselves involve the reader right away. I was inspired to get a copy of the film made of this book, just to watch them in live action.
This book had a lot to say about the author’s life as well as the wild exotic birds that are breeding in the San Francisco area. I found it informative and it made me feel I was there with him, observing and recording the lives of these birds.
This was mostly about the author rather than the birds.
Wild parrots in San Francisco, who knew? There is so much to learn about wildlife. We just don’t give them enough credit for intelligence and for the caring support they give each other. Besides the parrots there is the story of the authors pursuit of his dedication to a certain spiritual lifestyle that isn’t familiar to most of us. At first I was disdainful of his way. But in the end I came to admire his persistence and unshakeable belief in his own spiritual path that so many couldn’t understand. An interesting book on two levels
Great story and there was a documentary film made about it as well that is very good.
Loved it.
Fascinating story about the origin and the growth of the flocks of wild parrots in California over the years, and how the people who cared about them studied how to identify and track the individual birds and their family identities as these flocks separated and multiplied.
Since I live across the bay from San Francisco, I remember an article about the local PARROT BOTH IN THE NEWS AND ON THE TELEVISION. Needless to say the day my wife and went to see the parrots they were not there that day. Just as we were leaving we saw the flock coming back, but due to the crowd we had to leave or get a parking ticket. They are something to see.
I love parrots and I am from California and I totally enjoyed this book about the parrots in the wild and the interaction with the writer, he did a superb job and I couldn’t put the book down. I would read any book like this again. Thank you for writing this book
Having a parrot room mate for many years, loved this book. And the documentary!
A wonderful story about San Francisco and the parrots, but no love for the author– a very self-involved drifter who bonds with the parrots and then walks away without a backward glance. The movie is better.