European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 15, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 18 the stars and stripes saturday March 15, 1986 up photo Amazon parrots Roost among the branches of a tree in Orange county. Southern California with its warm climate and Orchards has become a Home for one of the nation s biggest populations of exotic Birds most of which Are escaped pets. Southern California Calls wild Birds by Susa Seager United press International a woman strolling along a sidewalk is chilled by a horrifying scream above her. She lookup and sees a Brilliant White cockatoo sitting on a Telephone wire squawking at some blackbirds. Fifty Miles away a Man watches a flock of Bright Green parrots lunching on his Walnut and Fig Trees. Scenes from a tropical Island or a sequel to Hitchcock s horror movie the Birds ? no. The sightings Are in Southern California where the warm climate and backyard Orchards have made an inviting Home for one of the nation s biggest populations of exotic tropical Birds most of which Are escaped pets. The los Angeles Basin is one big aviary says biologist Jim Johnson of the California department of food and agriculture. State and conservation groups estimates of the escaped Bird population Range from 200 to More than 300. They Are More conspicuous than the numbers would suggest because of their size and Bright colors. Only South Florida and Hawaii have larger such populations. Flocks and single Birds have been sighted in Pomona Riverside the Pasadena san Garbriel Valley area the san Fernando Valley san Pedro Long Beach Beverly Hills Santa Monica Santa Ana and san Diego among others. The creatures Are breathtakingly Beautiful obnoxiously noisy and voraciously hungry. But most of the non native Birds appear to be peacefully coexisting with native species and Don t seem to be Breeding fast enough to pose a serious threat to commercial agriculture. It s something in this latitude in their habitat that in t sending the signals that they should be Breeding said a National Audubon society official. Only a few species particularly Monk or Quaker parakeets and asian red whiskered Bulbul worry the experts and eradication efforts have kept their numbers in Check. State officials say most of the exotic escapees Are Amazon parrots mid sized Bright Green Birds native to parts of Mexico and Central and South America. Both Hawaii and South Florida already have serious problems trying to save their fruit industries from major damage from a growing population of non native exotic Birds said biologist Claire Miller of the food and agriculture Agency. Some Southern californians believe the Birds already pose a problem with their shrieking Calls at Dawn and the damage they do to backyard Orchards. A few people complain about the parrots gathering and heralding the Sunrise by screaming bloody murder said Pasadena humane society s Bird expert Liz Baronowski. But most people seem to like  Folk legends have sprung up about the origin of the Birds. In Pasadena the Story goes dozens of Birds were released by a pet store when the shop caught fire nearly 20 years ago. There Are also stories of smugglers letting them go just before they get caught Baronowski said. Some still show pet like behaviour. Joel Pasco a Costa Mesa veterinarian specializing in exotic pets has been told of parrots flying out of the Clear Blue sky onto people s shoulders. They obviously decided life in the wild in t As much fun As having someone taking care of them Pasco said. Since the Birds Are not native they Are not protected by Federal or state wildlife Laws. They have natural predators Here cats and kids with by guns Johnson said. And they Are valuable. Many Are Worth a couple of Hundred dollars and people capture them and sell  and i still kicking my 5zlffornot r \ having w�m1  t