February 17 Only.
Presented in partnership with Sharon Audubon Center and the Connecticut Parrot Society.
Director: Judy Irving
Music by Chris Michie
A homeless musician's life is transformed after he discovers a flock of wild South American parrots living in San Francisco. How they got there is a mystery, but Mark Bittner forms a bond with the exotic birds through his music and his patient, attentive care. Over time he comes to appreciate their individual identities and makes a case for humans to reevaluate their relationship to animals. When he is forced to leave them, he despairs over the birds' fate.
As seen in the film, parrots captivate us with their intelligence, social nature, and ability to bond with people. Join us after the screening for a conversation and Q&A. Sharon Audubon Center staff and other panelists will talk about this amazing group of birds, and especially about “the birds of the Long Island shore”-- Connecticut’s own flocks of wild Monk Parakeets!
Images: Monk Parakeets. Photos L to R by Raina Angelier, Corey Raffel, Tal Pipkin courtesy of National Audubon Society.
"A touching, revealing, uplifting and lovely film." - Filmweek
Our Panel:
Moderator: Eileen Fielding, PhD, Director of the Sharon Audubon Center.
Eileen is trained in Ecology and Conservation Biology.
Kevin Burgio, PhD, Renewable Energy Biologist, Migratory Bird Program at the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Kevin has researched factors that may have led to the extinction of the Carolina Parakeet, in part to understand what that tells us about present-day threats to parrots worldwide. He has also studied Connecticut’s population of wild Monk Parakeets to discover how to reduce their impact on electric transmission structures.
Amy Hopkins, President of The Parrot Club, Connecticut’s oldest companion bird club.
Amy is companion to a cockatiel, a galah, and an elderly turtle. She is also an avid bird-watcher and a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and has worked with both songbirds and raptors. The Parrot Club is a nonprofit formed in 1974 and is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The club’s mission includes enhancing the knowledge and enjoyment of exotic birds for members, encouraging preservation and conservation of all avian species, and introducing the general public to the joys and responsibilities of keeping and caring for companion birds.
Bethany Sheffer, Naturalist and Volunteer Coordinator at the Sharon Audubon Center.
Bethany shares her life with rescued Cockatiels.
1hr 23mins / G