“Wait a minute! This food is not for you! It’s for the normal birds – finches, blue jays, woodpeckers – not for you! Where did you even come from? This is California, not South America!”

I couldn’t believe my eyes the first time these gorgeous parrots showed up. I don’t know where they came from but they are now living in my backyard. I was feeding the “normal” birds for a couple of years but this year, these Nanday parrots came by and said, “Hey guys – free eats! Alert the whole gang!” It’s now become a daily visit (actually several times a day) and it’s getting crowded.

They come 10 or 12 at a time and they crowd onto the feeders for front row seating, shoving each other out of the way. It’s kind of like Black Friday when flat screen TVs go one sale at Walmart. They’re all trying to get there first. And I detect a bit of an attitude. They must know they’re pretty because they pose while they’re eating to show off that they can eat with their “hands” like we do while easily balancing on the other one. I’ve never seen a bird do that before.  I’m torn between just watching these stunning, colorful creatures or shooing them away so they don’t eat all the food in one day. You know how they say pretty people always get special treatment? Well these pretty birds are getting that from me. I feel blessed to have them coming to visit every day. I’m just waiting for bird food to go on sale.