Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, The

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill is suitable for middle to senior secondary students. It documents the true story about a flock of South American parrots living in San Francisco and the relationship that develops between them and the eccentric Mark Bittner who feeds them and studies their behaviour over a period of ten years.

Mark Bittner is a homeless street musician who inadvertently becomes something of an expert on birds as he consults local birders, feeds and studies the cherry-headed conures that had begun to breed in the wilds of the city. Bittner falls in with the flock as he searches for meaning in his life, unaware that the wild parrots will bring him everything he needs.

The film could serve as a springboard to discussion on lifestyles, relationships and what we learn from animals. It could also be used to encourage discussion on native and introduced species, wild and domesticated animals and trade in wildlife.