Parrots of Telegraph Hill

What you need to know

What’s There

A naturalized flock of cherry-headed conures (Aratinga erythrogenys) has lived on Telegraph Hill since at least the early 1990s. The birds are easy to hear: they screech across North Beach and Telegraph Hill in groups of 20 to 50. Seeing them up close takes more patience. The flock roosts in trees along the Greenwich Steps and the Filbert Steps on the east slope of the hill, especially in the late afternoon when they return to roost.

The flock was the subject of a 2003 documentary and book, both called “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill,” which followed Mark Bittner, a local who fed and tracked the birds for years.

Late afternoon is when the flock congregates in the trees near Coit Tower and the stairway gardens. Morning sightings happen but are less reliable. The parrots show up most often from March through July during nesting season.

Visiting

Address: Telegraph Hill, especially the Filbert and Greenwich Steps (east side)

Hours: Dawn to dusk. Late afternoon for more reliable sightings.

Cost: Free

What to know: Bring binoculars if you have them. The birds move fast and roost high. Don’t feed them.

Getting There

Transit: Muni 39-Coit bus goes directly to Coit Tower. The 30-Stockton and 45-Union stop at the base of Telegraph Hill.

Parking: Very limited at Coit Tower. Street parking on Lombard or the Embarcadero, then walk up.

Walking: The Filbert Steps from Sansome Street are the most scenic approach. Steep, through private gardens.