Thousands of parrots invade Argentine town

The town of Hilario Ascasubi near Argentina’s Atlantic coast is having trouble with parrots. Driven by deforestation in the surrounding hills, thousands of red, yellow and green birds have invaded the town, according to biologists. They bite electric wires causing power outages, making people frustrated with their incessant cries and parrot droppings everywhere. Guardian reported on September 30.

“The hillsides are disappearing and this is causing the parrots to come closer to the city in search of food, water and shelter,” said biologist Daiana Lera. According to her, most of the forest land in Argentina has gradually disappeared over the years.

Within a few years, parrots began to appear, residing in the town throughout the fall and winter. According to local people, the town has about 5,000 residents but the number of parrots is 10 times more. In the summer, they migrate south to the cliffs of Patagonia to breed.

A common sight in town is hundreds of parrots perching on power lines and pillars, or shadowing the roofs of buildings and churches. When they bite electric wires, water seeps into the lines when it rains, leading to interruption of electricity transmission. They cause daily damage to people, according to local reporter Ramón Alvarez.

People in the town tried many different measures to scare away the parrots, such as making noise and using laser lights, but they were ineffective. “We need to restore the natural environment. But before that happens, we need to think of solutions to live in harmony with parrots,” Lera said.

Parrots are birds with brilliant plumage and curved beaks. Both beak joints are curved forward to help them pick up, grind food and climb. Their wings are very developed, some species also have long tails to adapt to flying. Parrots are birds that live in large flocks, their food is fruits, seeds and some other plants. Some species eat honey, insects and larvae.