The wild parrots of SF — those loud, gloriously green, zero-budget entertainers — were spotted again recently, delighting residents and reminding us all that not everything worth caring about in this city requires a ballot measure or a seven-figure budget line.

One local was seen filling small feeders for the flock and actively shooing pigeons away so the parrots could eat undisturbed. No nonprofit grant. No city task force. No twelve-person committee issuing a feasibility study. Just a guy, some birdseed, and a sense of civic duty that puts half of City Hall to shame.

For the uninitiated, San Francisco's feral parrot population has been a beloved urban legend turned very real phenomenon for decades. And the birdwatching community here is more active than you might think. As one local noted, you can reliably catch the parrots at Ina Coolbrith Park around 2–4 p.m. — which, for the record, is a better use of a Tuesday afternoon than sitting in a Board of Supervisors meeting.

Another SF resident recommended the Merlin app by Cornell University for identifying birds by sound, pointing out that Golden Gate Park, Mt. Davidson, and the Presidio are prime birdwatching territory. If you're lucky, you might even spot a Harlequin duck or an American White pelican out on the water.

Here's what we love about this story: it's a reminder that community doesn't require bureaucracy. A man feeding parrots in a park is doing more for neighborhood morale than most city programs with six-figure budgets. San Francisco is at its best when its residents just do things — no permits, no commissions, no consultants billing $400 an hour.

So grab some binoculars, head to Ina Coolbrith, and enjoy the show. The parrots don't charge admission, and unlike MUNI, they actually show up on time.