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This documentary was actually filmed two years ago, but is gaining momentum around the country by slowly appearing in art theaters. The record is SRO in the San Francisco area, not surprising since the movie was filmed in that locale.

Mark Bittner is a man who for three years lived in a small cottage on a San Francisco hillside. The cottage was part of a larger housing development and the owners allowed him to live there free. Mark became interested in the wild parrots living in that area and in three years tamed several and became friend to all.  

The parrots, cherry-headed conures and a few blue-headed ones, come from parrots that apparently were either let lose intentionally or escaped. They bred and soon the area had a flock of these beautiful birds, certainly not native to California. The parrot’s enemies are two; a bird virus and hawks, who also claim this area as their own.

The camera lets us become acquainted with Mark and his gentle way with little Mingus, who is the only wild parrot who wants to live inside a house. Minus is temperamental and his scene in time-out for being a bad parrot is heart-warming. Then there is blue-headed Connor, who is shunned by the rest of the birds because of his blue head. Picasso tries to charm the elusive female Sophie and we find out that parrots don’t mate for life, but do readily care for their young, always watching out for a hawk.

This movie is not strictly for bird-lovers, but for all animal lovers. The scenes of the parrots flying free over beautiful San Francisco are wonderfully done and you can see how Mark Bittner went from having nothing to do, to a man with something wonderful fluttering in his life 24 hours a day.

Copyright 2005 Marie Asner
Submitted 6/2/05