21. Lovebirds

When Nora moved to Arizona she found an untapped hobby in bird watching/admiring. One bird in particular has caught her eye… and her heart. 

Transcripts may not appear in their final version and are subject to change.

{audio of the lovebirds from video}

I am officially a bird lady, and that’s the sound of my very favorite bird. There are a lot of birds I like very much – most birds, actually. I don’t even mind pigeons all that much. They can’t help that they got branded the rats of the sky! But there are a few birds that I absolutely love. Birds that thrill me when I see them. Owls, obviously. They’re wise, they’re regal, I like the way they operate physically and spiritually.

Hawks of any kind, unless they’re circling above my yard in which case I have to assume they’re looking for a lil chihuahua snack. And this bird, the one you just heard.

This is a bird that’s special and significant to Phoenix, where I live. It’s not native to Phoenix but they’re known to be here. It’s a Phoenix Lovebird. A rosy-faced lovebird. So named because aside from their brilliant green feathers, they also have a cute little blue butt and a pink face. They look like a little parrot, because they are a little parrot. They’re the kind of bird that is popular as a pet in a lot of America and other parts of the world. You could imagine them singing in a little aviary at a nursing home, or in a cage at a petstore. 

The first time I saw one, I actually saw 20 or 30, an entire flock that burst out of a nearby tree, swooping and singing to each other. I thought, oh no, someone lost 30 of their birds! And the person I was with said, no, no, they’re wild. 

Probably from owners or breeders releasing them into the wild and saying, good luck! You’re on your own! 

Now, haters will tell you this bird is an invasive species, which is true, but is not their fault! They’ll say that they are colonizers because they can’t dig out their own holes to live in so they just kick out other birds and take their space. I don’t love that about them but they have to live too! And then they’ll tell you – like a woman in a Facebook book STERNLY told me – that they carry chlamydia. Which, okay, lady, I’m just LOOKING at the birds not dating them. 

I was smitten. I had to find more. And so on all of my walks, I am staring up up up. Hoping for a glimpse of one. They perch up high on the dead branches of big trees. They tuck into the holes in palm trees or in Saguaro cactus. 

They are, I’ve discovered, the only KNOWN feral population of lovebirds in the US! This cute little menace! This flock of pure delight. Is rare and special. They’re not just harbingers of love, but of survival and tenacity. 

I don’t know, I just fucking love these birds, guys. I always want to be the kind of person who feels absolute delight when she sees a beautiful bird. 

Credits:

I’m Nora McInerny, and it’s going to be okay. The IT changes everyday, and it’s different for all of us. I want to hear your okay thing. You can call or email us at 612.568.4441 

It’s Going To Be Okay is a production of feelings & co. Today’s episode was written and recorded by Nora McInerny at McInerny Studios. Our team is Megan Palmer, Marcel Malekbu, Jordan Turgeon, Claire McInerny, Larissa Witcher and Eugenne Kidd.

https://azfo.org/journal/Rosy-facedLovebird2011.html