A wild parrot was freed from a third-floor balcony in San Francisco after getting its head wedged between glass panels, with the city’s famed flock of Telegraph Hill parrots noisily celebrating the rescue.
The green bird, one of the celebrated “wild parrots of Telegraph Hill,” found itself stuck on a balcony that was under construction, the San Francisco Fire Department said Monday. Firefighters responded to the occupied home and devised a delicate extraction plan.
A firefighter climbed onto the roof and lowered a ladder down to the balcony to reach the trapped parrot. The crew worked carefully to avoid injuring the bird during the precarious operation.
“When on the balcony, they carefully slid the bird up to free it,” the department wrote on social media. “They wrapped the bird in a towel and handed it off to Officer Mullen, who checked out the bird.”
Officer Mullen examined the parrot and found no injuries from the ordeal. The bird’s wings, legs and neck all checked out fine, according to the department’s account.
“Thankfully they were fine: their wings, legs and neck were all ok, so Officer Mullen released the bird,” the Fire Department posted.
The parrot’s companions had gathered nearby during the rescue. Once freed, the bird flew straight to a tree where its feathered friends were waiting.
The flock erupted in squawks as the rescued parrot rejoined them, Animal Care and Control reported. The celebratory chorus from the wild birds marked the end of a tense operation that had drawn together firefighters and animal control officers.
The Telegraph Hill parrots have long been a colorful fixture in the northern San Francisco neighborhood, their bright plumage and raucous calls making them local celebrities. The flock’s origins trace back to escaped or released captive birds that established themselves in the area decades ago.
Monday’s rescue added another chapter to the neighborhood’s ongoing relationship with its most famous residents. The birds’ distinctive presence has inspired documentaries, books, and regular sightseeing tours by locals and tourists hoping to spot the flock in flight.
The Fire Department did not specify exactly when during the day the rescue took place, nor did it identify the homeowner whose balcony became the unexpected trap. The construction work on the balcony appeared to have created a gap just wide enough for a curious parrot to explore — and get stuck.
Animal Care and Control noted the successful outcome in its own report on the incident, highlighting the cooperation between the two city agencies. The parrot’s quick release back to its flock meant minimal disruption to the bird’s wild life among the Telegraph Hill colony.
The rescued parrot’s return to the trees restored one more voice to the neighborhood’s familiar soundtrack of squawks and fluttering wings.