The cherry-headed conures — a feral flock that's called the city home for decades — were spotted doing their thing recently at the Vallejo steps, being their usual chaotic, photogenic selves. No bureaucratic intervention required. No city grant funding their wellness. Just parrots being parrots in a city that could honestly use more things that simply work without a committee.

These birds are the rare San Francisco residents who don't complain about housing costs, don't need a permit to exist, and actually add something to the neighborhood without asking taxpayers for a dime. They've built their own community, found their own food, and managed to thrive in one of the most expensive cities on the planet — all without a single subsidy. Honestly? Role models.

As one SF resident put it, "They have such a distinct sound that I now can pick them out whenever they're nearby." That's the thing — once you know the sound, you hear them everywhere around Telegraph Hill and the Embarcadero. It's a screech that somehow becomes endearing, like a noisy neighbor you actually like.

Another local noted, "Always trips me out how parrots live in SF. Hope to see them one day." If you haven't yet, the Vallejo Stairway between Montgomery and Sansome is your best bet. Go in the late afternoon, bring some patience, and look up.

In a city where so much feels overengineered, over-regulated, and over-budget, the wild parrots remain a small, feathered reminder that some of the best things in San Francisco are the ones the government had absolutely nothing to do with.