The Dewdrop World

King of the Birds--Out my Window July 2, 2021

Parrots of Pasadena

Like a lot of people, I was surprised to find parrots in Pasadena.

Unlike the peacocks, it isn’t clear how Pasadena got its huge flocks of parrots. Some say it happened when a pet store caught fire and the animals got loose. But that story is not backed up with any evidence that I've found.

Parrots and peacocks on the loose? Others think they just ended up in the area—flown off course?

Like the red-whiskered bulbuls, they are newcomers whose story is not known.

Liz shared this fantastic article about Pasadena's red-crowned parrots the other day, Pasadena's Screaming Parrots Are Super Annoying But May Save Their Species From Extinction.

Super annoying? I think not!

How about nonstop deafeningly loud police helicopters hovering over your house every day? Or nonstop leaf blowers? Or firecrackers?

The parrots are like a symphony orchestra compared to those menaces. 

Fun Fact from Article:Fun fact:

A group of parrots is called a "pandemonium," which is actually the perfect description for how crazy -- and crazy-making -- these birds can be. Prepare your ears (and we suggest headphones if you're at work right now) for the video below.

Following a link to a second article, Creating an 'Urban Ark' for Endangered Species in Los Angeles
Earth Focus, I learned that the species I see the most often are from the Amazon.

Amazona viridigenalis.

Green-cheeked Amazon is what the scientific name means. Though everyone I know calls them red-crowned parrots.

From the article, I learned that:

In the 1970s and '80s, tens of thousands of chicks and adults were poached from the red-crowned parrots' original habitat in northeastern Mexico, in the states of Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosí, and brought to the United States to be sold in the pet trade. Because of the poaching and habitat loss from deforestation, their population dwindled in Mexico, and red-crowned parrots are now listed as an endangered species in Mexico and by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

In the meantime, however, their pet cousins in the United States escaped or were let go by owners who realized too late that wild-caught parrots make terrible pets, and that even tamed ones are demanding and noisy. Red-crowned parrots established sizable wild populations in Florida and California. In the Los Angeles area, there are about 2,000 to 3,000 individuals, a number that could at this point rival or exceed that of the remaining wild population in Mexico. Feeding largely on nonnative nut and fruit trees, red-crowned parrots started to breed and became a permanent feature of the greater Los Angeles landscape over the course of the 1980s and '90s. 

 

In Pasadena, people complain about the racket they can make... and it is true, they are so loud! But like the author in the article, every single time I see a flock go screaming by, I feel a small sense of awe! Like her, sometimes I have even felt overcome with emotion when I see the huge flocks coming back to the trees to roost at night. The author makes a great case for making room for them too. 

There are so many reasons why Vienna is considered to be the most livable city --without a doubt it is the city I would choose if I could live anywhere in the world. And one of the greatest things about Vienna is that it is livable for all creatures--not just humans. Space is made for the birds and bees, foxes and rabbits. Boar. You name it. 

We want to protect the endemic species. But there might also be space for newcomers, especially if their habitats back "home" have been destroyed. Cities in particular could be perfect places to allow for this since cities have already pretty much displaced what came before. 

s.

More photos by Chris below. Someday I would love to see a few more of LA's native parrots.

Naturalized Parrots of Southern California
Rose-ringed Parakeet (Conures) from tropical Africa and India

Lilac Crowned Parrot (Amazons) from the Pacific Coast of Mexico (vulnerable)

Red Crowned Parrot from NE Mexico (endangered)

Yellow Headed Parrot from southern Mexico down to Honduras (endangered)

Red Lored Parrot from the Caribbean Coast in southern Mexico down to Nicaragua

Red Masked Parakeet from Ecuador and Peru

Mitred Parakeet from Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina

Blue Crowned Parakeet from eastern Colombia all the way south to Argentina

Yellow Chevroned Parakeet from countries south of the Amazon River Basin

Nanday Parakeet from central South America

Blue (Turquoise) Fronted Parrot from central South America

Monk Parakeet from the Amazon Forest in east and central South America—also known as the Grey-headed or Quaker parakeet in the United State

 

Babies getting bigger!

Of course, I stupidly did not write down any dates. But I think it has been about a month since I saw the nine babies. Now two or three mommy birds are keeping together with only about a dozen babies--now much larger. 

This below was taken about a month ago. Now they can fly and they have a beautiful set of feathers. 

 

Morning Alarm Clock

Who needs an alarm clock when you have peacocks?

Babies Learning to Fly

The Cuteness Attack babies from a few weeks ago have gotten so big--and now they are learning to fly!

Momma goes first and then one by one, the babes... I love their shadows.

 

 

Cuteness Attack!

All those "Fowl Shrieks" paid off! (Newspaper people sure love puns... )

I am so in love with the babies!! Beautiful beaks and those clumsy big feet... But how did they ever get such ugly feet? Little deer babies...

Easter is a Peacock at Vox Nova

Peacocks of Pasadena

[A shorter version was published of this in the Pasadena Star on February 23, 2020]

See this article--very sad. 

PUBLISHED: February 22, 2020 at 6:28 a.m. | UPDATED: February 22, 2020 at 6:28 a.m.

It happened when the the king of the demons left his golden abode on the island of Lanka in order to invade heaven. A surprise attack, all the gods fled in terror. One god named Indra-- known as the god with a thousand eyes -- took refuge under the wings of a peacock. In those days, peacocks were dull and colorless creatures. In gratitude for this protection, Indra granted the peacock the blessing of a thousand beautiful blue-green eyes of his own --for which to adorn his unusually long tail. With the power to kill poisonous snakes and serpents, the peacock has been venerated in India from very ancient times as a symbol of renewed life and rebirth. Serving as the mount of the Kartikeya, eldest son of Siva and commander of the army of the gods; is it the peacock alone who does double duty in the pantheon of gods? For the peacock also serves as the vehicle of Kama, the god of love and desire, and sometimes mount of Saraswati, goddess of wisdom. 

Perhaps because of the famed  --and mysteriously misplaced-- Peacock Throne of the Mughal kings or perhaps because of how often one can happen upon a peacock whilst strolling in a Persian-style garden, I had always associated the national bird of India with the north. But, according to a charming essay by P. Thankappan Nair, peacocks are originally native to southern India, where since time immemorial been a harbinger of the coming rains. Bringing relief from mounting days of great heat, the monsoon brings with it the blessings of renewed life and fertility. Likened to union of lovers, the ancients saw the rains as the coming together of heaven and earth. In European alchemy, the peacock is also a symbol of union and the harmonious integration of opposites. So during the time of great heat, the plaintive cawing of the peacock--dancing bird in the rains-- heralds the blessings to come. 

And, wow, they are loud! During mating season, their shrieking could wake the dead! And, more, what are they doing roaming the streets of Pasadena, California? Have you ever heard of the parrots of Pasadena? Well, if they are not loud enough, we also have peacocks!

For me, it was definitely NOT love at first sight. In fact, I took to complaining bitterly about our neighborhood peacocks. Their nightly shrieking during mating season had me up night after night. And I need my beauty sleep! I was initially surprised that no one had started an online petition to get rid of them-- as had happened in this village in Durham County, England, where the population was similarly kept awake at night and terrorized by a party of peacocks. I will even admit, I laughed when one of the beleaguered villagers wondered about how they might taste!

"I've never heard of roasted peacock, have you? "

Complaints in Durham included sleep deprivation, peacock poop and damage to cars--and I thought, we have all that! But my neighbors were surprisingly patient, "The kids just love them..." they reminded me. Two neighbors had even been seen feeding them. 

I just hated them--that is, until I finally saw the males in action. 

"My Lords and Peacocks" said King George III. 

The first time I saw King George (he is my favorite), he was gazing at himself in the reflection of a very clean and shiny BMW down the street. He just stood there staring at himself... At first I thought he was admiring how pretty he was (I could hardly blame him, to be honest) but then he began pecking the door of the car. Okay, so this is why people in our neighborhood are complaining about "tiny dents" in their cars. (That's what you get for having such a clean car?)

Watching him, I realized he was pecking at his own reflection, because he thought that it was another bird!

Ok, maybe he isn't the smartest. But what a specimen he is. Look at his sapphire neck--deep blue like the heavenly firmament in a illuminated manuscript. And that elegant crest, like the crown of an emperor. And how about his outside train feathers trailing behind him, speckled like a cobra. I wish you could see him in flight--just an orange streak of his under feathers streaming by you. Oh my God, was I falling in love?

It was about this time that my friend Sally told me about Flannery O'Connor's peacocks. Did you know Flannery O'Connor lived on a farm she named Andalusia, where she had forty beaks to feed? She loved her peacocks, calling them the king of the birds. This wonderful infatuation began when she was five--captured on film with chickens--and it developed from there. No matter how her family complained, she remained firm in her devotion.

Reading her essays in Mystery and Manners, I quickly realized that when it comes to peacocks, the Anglo tradition is really very different from the Indian one. Whereas the Indian tradition views them as symbols of love and beauty; in the anglo tradition, we tend to associate peacocks with vanity and pride. This notion stretches all the way back to Aristotle, who remarked that, "Some animals are jealous and vain like a peacock." I used to feel the same about peacocks--that is, until a party of peacocks (five females and three males) moved in to our neighborhood last year. And you know what? The more I watch our peacocks here in Pasadena, the more I am sure that the Indian tradition has it right. They are wondrous and enchanting. Especially when the males display and dance underneath an iridescent galaxy of radiating suns (like Indra's Net?) in the brilliant California sunshine. Turning round and round, displaying their "underpants" (as Flannery describes it) shaking and rattling their quills--they are more beautiful than a rainbow when they dance. And yet looking around, the peahens always seem utterly nonplussed.

Been there, done that...?

And, reading Flannery O'Connor I see that I am not the first person to have been surprised by their hideously ugly feet! Scrawny chicken legs and that God-awful shrieking--ke ka ke ka ke ka -- over and over as their turn round and round, rattling their quills like lunatics. 

Oh, my beauty, how did you lose your golden voice? And where did you get those chicken feet?

A devout catholic, Flannery O'Connor was well-aware that in the Christian tradition as well, the peacock is a symbol of eternal life and the resurrection. The ancient Romans believed that peacock flesh would never rot. Augustine of Hippo would later test this in Carthage, noting that, “A year later, it was still the same, except that it was a little more shriveled, and drier.” Because they molt in autumn with their feathers coming back in the spring, peacocks came to represent resurrection and the Reborn God. Spring. And Easter. A friend on Facebook drew a marvelous picture of a Pesach Peacock! "The splendor of Easter and beautiful vision," says another friends. This is why you you can spot them in Christian artwork from mosaics and reliefs in the basilica of San Marco to depictions in Renaissance paintings by Antonello to Fra Angelico and Fra Filippo Lippi. And just like in ancient India, Europeans of the Middle Ages also believed that peacocks could kill poisonous serpents. 

“You shall know the truth,” said Flannery O'Connor, “And the truth shall make you odd.” 

This is one of my favorite quotes by Flannery O'Connor. And she was odd. But peacocks are odd too. So it seemed like a match made in heaven, when I learned that guarding the gates of paradise at her Georgian farm named Andalusia was a hoard of peacocks--so numerous she didn't dare count them; for a she explained, “I intend to stand firm and let the peacocks multiply," she said, ending her essay "The King of the Birds" saying, "For I am sure that, in the end, the last word will be theirs.” And so it should be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pasadena peacocks: Fowl shrieks from a union of lovers

[Published in the Pasadena Star on February 23, 2020]

PUBLISHED: February 22, 2020 at 6:28 a.m. | UPDATED: February 22, 2020 at 6:28 a.m.
All the trouble started when the king of the demons left his golden abode on the island of Lanka to invade heaven. A surprise attack — all the gods fled in terror. Indra, known as the “god with a thousand eyes,” took refuge under the wings of a peacock. In those days, peacocks were dull and colorless creatures. But the peacock was just the ticket. And in gratitude for this protection, Indra granted the peacock the blessing of a thousand beautiful blue-green eyes of his own to adorn his unusually long tail.

The national bird of India, peacocks have long been seen as a harbinger of the coming rains. Bringing relief from those unbearable days of mounting heat, the monsoon carries the blessings of renewed life and fertility. Likened to a union of lovers, the ancients saw the rains as the coming together of heaven and earth.

But, wow, peacocks are loud! During mating season, their shrieks can wake the dead! Beautiful and loud. But what are they doing roaming the streets of Pasadena? For me, it was definitely not love at first sight. In fact, I complained bitterly about our neighborhood “muster.” Their fingernails-on-the-blackboard mating calls had me up night after night. And I need my beauty sleep! I was initially surprised that no one had started an online petition to get rid of them, as had happened in one village in Durham County, England, where the population was similarly kept awake at night and terrorized by a pride of peacocks. I will even admit I laughed when one of the beleaguered villagers wondered about how they might taste!

“I’ve never heard of roasted peacock, have you?”

Complaints in Durham included sleep deprivation, peacock poop and damage to cars — and we have all that! But my neighbors were surprisingly patient, “The kids just love them,” they said. Two neighbors had even been seen surreptitiously feeding them.

I just hated them — until I finally saw the males in action.

“My Lords and Peacocks” said King George III.

The first time I saw King George (my current favorite), he was gazing at himself in the reflection of a very clean and shiny BMW down the street. At first, I thought he was admiring how pretty he was. I could hardly blame him. But then he began pecking the door of the car. So this is why people in our neighborhood are complaining about “tiny dents” in their cars. That’s what you get for having such a clean car?

Watching him, I realized he was pecking at his own reflection, because he thought that it was another bird!

OK, maybe he isn’t the brightest. But what a specimen. With his shimmering sapphire neck — that blue is like the heavenly firmament in a medieval illuminated manuscript. And his elegant crest? It’s like the crown of an emperor. Then there is the pièce de résistance: his train. His walking-around feathers, speckled like a cobra, vanish in flight as the blinding orange streak of his under feathers stream by you. Oh my God, am I falling in love?

Like the parrots here, there is a human story behind why we have roaming parties of peacocks in Pasadena. It all started when a certain Lucky Baldwin traveled out west from Ohio, in search of riches. And he found them too —mainly in his investments in mining stocks and land. Friends with Wyatt Earp, he loved racehorses and imported peacocks from India to his large ranch in Arcadia, where they roamed free. Why peacocks? Well, they kill snakes and are better guards than watchdogs, he reported.
“You shall know the truth,” wrote Flannery O’Connor, “And the truth shall make you odd.”

Flannery was odd. Her peacocks, too. Guarding the gates of paradise at her Georgia farm was an ostentation (yes, that’s the word!) of peacocks. “I intend to stand firm and let the peacocks multiply,” she wrote.“For I am sure that, in the end, the last word will be theirs.” And so it should be.

Leanne Ogasawara writes a monthly column at the arts and science blog 3 quarks daily.

Peacocks on Berkeley Ave

King George gazing at himself in delight

 

King George is less enamored by Bob's Bug

 

In Flight--spectacular on San Marino Ave. behind us

 

The lady next door--gorgeous peahen

 

Winter next door--looking ahead toward mating season

 

On our balcony

 

My pick for most gorgeous this year: Adonis

 

This year's block party

 

Arboretum Mating Season 2019

 

 

In Flight

I like them when they are quiet, but fall in love with them when they fly.

Just wow!

When they leap, like that, I think they are superb!

Ed says they don't fly really--more like an "assisted leap..." 

He is right...

And yet, wow!

They are really something.

I can see why Flannery O'Connor wanted to have so many around her on her farm...

....Her farm named  Andalusia.

Bored panda had some stunning photos on their website of peacocks in light. I think ours are young (juveniles?) so the males don't have long trains. See how short his tail feathers are?

From Bored Panda:

The peacock is the Kanye West of birds. After all, the beautiful birds do have over 200 colorful elongated feathers that attract not just their potential partners, but many people’s attention and cameras, too.

But there are so much more to these colorful birds than their beautiful trains. Did you know that the name ‘peacock’ is only used for the male birds? Females are named peahens and their little ones – peachicks. Also, peacock feathers get their iridescent colors because the plumage is covered with tiny crystal-like structures, that reflect different wavelengths of light, thus creating the astonishing colorations. And to answer the pressing question, can peacocks fly – indeed, they can! The reason why you won’t see a flying peacock that often is because peacocks do that in case of danger, rather than pleasure. When predators appear, birds start running and flutter into the air. Surprisingly, the long feathers don’t affect their take-offs. The distance might be limited, but they can speed up to 16 km/h (10 mph)! And a peacock flying is undoubtedly a beautiful sight.

They photos are beautiful!