Red-masked Parakeet, Aratinga erythrogenys


Red-masked Parakeets
I took all the pictures on this page on an October Sunday morning in the little park just across the Embarcadero from the Ferry Building in San Francisco. I was there hoping to photograph a rare warbler that didn't show up, but I was consoled by the noisy presence of a flock of the famous "Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill" celebrated in Mark Bittner's book and Judy Irving's documentary film of that name. (The two of them met while she was making the movie, and later married.)

The Red-masked Parakeets of San Franciso have been a successful breeding population in the wild, as shown by the numerous new additions to their number in the pictures here, juveniles with their all-green heads. These birds are said to gather in a large flock or flocks for a time after the new babies fledge at the end of summer, and then to disperse in winter across San Francisco, and even into neighboring towns, in search of the fruits that are their main food. There is no reliable census of the Bay Area population, but guesses of about 200 are current among their regular observers.

Red-masked Parakeets are native to southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru. They are popular in the caged bird trade where they are known as Cherry-headed Conures, and extensive capture of young birds in their native habitat fueled by this popularity has led to declining numbers.


Red-masked Parakeets
An adult with three juveniles.


Red-masked Parakeets
Juvenile birds grooming each other.


Red-masked Parakeet
A juvenile with a captive slug.

Red-masked Parakeet
Perched birds, a juvenile above, an adult below.

Red-masked Parakeet