The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

There's more interesting wildlife in San Francisco than you might imagine.

I vividly remember going to this movie in San Francisco. About a week later walking about a block from the Embarcadero Cinema, I hear this tremendous squawking sound from the trees. I look up to see these parrots flying around a block away from where I saw them in the movie. A friend of mine saw the whole flock as he was driving down Columbus Avenue.

So, Wild Parrots is a great documentary where Mark Bittner has shown us the personalities of these different birds, and documented their trials, their dysfunctional love lives, and the dangerous lives they lead.

In this presentation of a great and compelling story, its possible to recognise our own humanity in the lives of these birds, and to feel a strong sense of wonder at how this movie came to be made. Its also a great love story for the main character, and I was truly impressed with the quality of this movie and have recommended it to numerous people.

If you have friends who love wildlife documentaries, they will definitely love this movie.

As in many movies about San Francisco, the city itself becomes a character in the movie.

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Shadow Watcher
Nobody Drowns in Mineral Lake

Judy Irving's touching film about San Francisco bohemian Mark Bittner and his caring for a flock of wild parrots that reside in that city by the bay, is the most endearing documentary to come along in years. It will make you laugh. It will make you cry. It will touch your heart.

Thanks to Bittner, these beautifully-photographed birds take on almost human personalities. Thus, when he is forced to leave them, we share his emotional devastation.

There are many extras on this DVD, including deleted scenes and a Flock Update, filmed a year after the documentary was completed.

© Michael B. Druxman, author of ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (available December 2008)

There are great indi films out there and this is one of them.

Basically, its a story about an eccentric, and his study of a band of wild parrots living in San Francisco. The movie is suitable for children, and a great film to watch with family. My hat is off to the people who put this together, and the Parrot Man of Telegraph Hill.

Kudos!!!

I first heard about this film on Ebert and Roeper. I am a resident of the San Francisco bay area, but I had never heard about these parrots. What a story! Mark, the flock's "guardian," has such a close relationship with these parrots and he is able to show us just how smart they are, and how each one of them is a special individual. In writing this review, it is difficult for me to articulate how the film affected me. I loved it. It doesn't matter whether you have an interest in birds or not. It is my opinion that most people will fall in love with these parrots and their stories. Some surprises at the end, too. Check out the special features on the DVD to see various updates on the flock, Mark's trip back to see Mingus, and an interesting follow-up segment from some neighborhood residents who comment about the flock and about seeing Connor.

Wonderfully and carefully narrated, with a backdrop of San Francisco and its lovely vistas, this movie starts out being about parrots but, in so many ways, turns out to be about the needs and issues that these beautiful birds have in common with us. It's really about life with all its joys and sorrows -- one of the finest movies I've seen in many years. It starts out rather slowly, and the whole mood of the movie is very gentle, but it sneaks up on you and captures your heart.

I loaned my copy of this DVD to my brother and told him how wonderful it was. It took him over a year (and much prodding from me) to finally watch it, but when he finally did, he promptly called me to thank me and ask if he could keep it a little longer so his daughter could watch it, too.