13 Green Birds in California: From Feral Parrots to Native Songbirds
August 24, 2026
Walk through a neighborhood in Pasadena, Temple City, or San Diego at dusk and you might hear a racket overhead that sounds nothing like a typical backyard bird. Look up, and you could find a flock of bright green parrots settling into a palm tree for the night. California is home to a surprising mix of green bird species: some are wild parrots descended from escaped or released pets, others are native songbirds and swallows that have called the state home for thousands of years.
This guide covers 13 green birds in California, organized from the feral parrot flocks that dominate Southern California’s skies to the native warblers and towhees that nest in its forests and chaparral. Each entry includes identification pointers, where the species tends to show up, and what makes it distinct from its lookalikes. Whether a flash of green in the yard is a parakeet or a warbler, this rundown makes the call easier.
1. Red-crowned Parrot (Amazon)
The red-crowned parrot (Amazona viridigenalis) is stocky and mostly green, with a red patch on the forehead and crown that can look almost like a small cap. Adults show a bit of blue wash on the back of the neck, and in flight the wings flash red at the bend. Native to a narrow strip of northeastern Mexico, the species is now considered endangered in its home range, which makes California’s feral population genuinely important for conservation.
Southern California’s population traces back largely to the greater Los Angeles area, where escaped and released pet parrots established breeding colonies decades ago. The Pasadena parrot flocks are among the most famous examples, roosting communally in tall trees and commuting each morning to feed. If a loud, football-sized green parrot with a red-capped head flies overhead in the San Gabriel Valley, there’s a good chance it’s this species.
Because red-crowned parrots often flock and roost with other Amazon and parakeet species, the California Parrot Project encourages residents to report sightings, which helps researchers track population health across the state. Readers curious about other bright-headed species can also check out birds with red heads in California for a broader comparison of red-marked species statewide.
Pro Tip: Listen before looking. Feral parrot flocks are often heard well before they’re seen, especially at dawn and dusk when they’re commuting to and from roost sites.
2. Red-masked Parakeet
The red-masked parakeet (Psittacara erythrogenys) is a medium-sized, mostly green parakeet with a red face mask that extends around the eyes and, in adults, patches of red scattered on the shoulders and underwing. Juveniles show less red and can be trickier to separate from mitred parakeets at a glance. Native to western Ecuador and northern Peru, it’s another species whose California presence began with the pet trade.
This parakeet has become well established in parts of Los Angeles and Orange County, often mixing with mitred parakeets in shared flocks, which has led to some hybridization between the two. San Francisco’s well-documented wild parrot colony, made famous by the book and film about the “wild parrots of Telegraph Hill,” is itself a hybrid swarm involving red-masked genetics, and the Bay Nature investigation into San Francisco’s parrots details just how complicated identifying these birds can get.
Distinguishing red-masked from mitred parakeets comes down to the extent of red on the face and the presence of red flecking on the wings and thighs of red-masked birds. Both species prefer mature trees with dense canopy for roosting, and both are loud, gregarious fliers that travel in tight formation.
3. Monk Parakeet
Unlike most of the parrots on this list, the monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) is pale gray on the face and chest rather than solid green, with green on the back, wings, and tail. It’s also the only parrot species in North America that builds its own large stick nests rather than nesting in cavities, and those bulky communal nests are often the easiest way to spot a colony from a distance.
Monk parakeets are native to temperate parts of South America, which helps explain why they’ve adapted so well to cooler climates across the United States. This species has established populations far beyond California, including well-known colonies around green birds in Austin and long-running nesting sites documented in green birds in Connecticut, making it one of the most widely distributed parrots in the country.
In California, monk parakeets show up in scattered urban pockets, often nesting on utility poles and transformers, which occasionally puts them at odds with power companies. Their stick nests can house multiple breeding pairs at once, and old nests are frequently reused and expanded year after year.
4. Mitred Parakeet
The mitred parakeet (Psittacara mitratus) is almost entirely green with irregular red flecking on the head and face that increases with age, giving older birds a scruffy, patchy red crown. It lacks the cleaner red mask of the red-masked parakeet, and the red patches tend to look more scattered and asymmetrical.
Native to the Andes of Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina, mitred parakeets have built substantial feral populations in Southern California, particularly around Los Angeles, Pasadena, and parts of Orange County. The OC Habitats overview of naturalized Orange County parrots notes that mitred parakeets are among the more frequently reported species in local flock counts, often mixing with red-masked and red-crowned birds at shared roost sites.
Telling mitred parakeets apart from their green-bodied cousins takes practice, since flock composition can include several similar species at once. Listening for slight differences in call pitch and watching for the specific pattern of red on the head are the most reliable field marks.
Key Insight: Most of California’s feral parrot species trace back to the pet trade of the 1960s through 1980s. Escaped or intentionally released birds found California’s mild climate and abundant fruiting trees hospitable enough to establish self-sustaining wild populations that persist today.
5. Rose-ringed Parakeet
The rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri) is slimmer and longer-tailed than the Amazon-type parrots on this list, with a bright green body and, in adult males, a thin black-and-rose ring around the neck. Females and young birds lack the neck ring, which can make sexing a flock from a distance difficult.
Native across parts of Africa and South Asia, this species has become one of the most successful naturalized parrots in the world, with feral colonies established on multiple continents. The Global Birding Initiative’s guide to parrots in California lists rose-ringed parakeets among the state’s more localized feral populations, generally concentrated in scattered urban and suburban pockets rather than spread statewide.
Compared to the other species covered here, rose-ringed parakeets tend to travel in smaller, tighter flocks and prefer areas with mature ornamental trees for nesting cavities. Similar established populations have also been documented in green birds in Alabama, reflecting how adaptable this species is across very different climates.
6. Yellow-chevroned Parakeet
The yellow-chevroned parakeet (Brotogeris chiriri) is one of the smallest parrots on this list, a compact, almost entirely green bird with a small yellow patch on the upper wing that’s visible mainly in flight. Its short tail and stubby build give it a noticeably different silhouette than the larger Amazon and Psittacara species covered above.
Native to central South America, yellow-chevroned parakeets were widely kept as pets under names like “canary-winged parakeet” before escapees established breeding colonies in warm-climate U.S. cities. California’s population is smaller and more localized than its counterparts in Florida, but scattered flocks persist in parts of the Los Angeles basin.
Similar Brotogeris species have also carved out a niche in green birds in South Texas, where warm winters and abundant fruiting trees support small feral colonies much like those found in California’s urban core. Because yellow-chevroned parakeets are quieter and less conspicuous than larger parrots, they’re often overlooked even in areas where they’re present.
7. Nanday Parakeet
The Nanday parakeet (Aratinga nenday) stands out immediately thanks to its black face and cap, which contrasts sharply against an otherwise green body with blue-tinged flight feathers and a red-orange wash on the thighs. That black head is the single fastest way to separate this species from every other parakeet on this list.
Native to central South America, Nanday parakeets have established modest feral populations in parts of Southern California, generally in smaller numbers than the dominant red-masked, mitred, and red-crowned flocks. The California Flocks parrot sightings map tracks reported locations for this and other feral species, which is a useful resource for anyone trying to pin down exactly where a particular parakeet colony has been seen recently.
Nanday parakeets are also well known from established populations documented in green birds in Central Texas, where similarly mild winters have allowed feral flocks to persist for decades. In California, they’re most often reported mixing into larger mixed-species roosts rather than forming exclusively single-species flocks.
8. White-winged Parakeet
The white-winged parakeet (Brotogeris versicolurus) looks similar to its yellow-chevroned relative at rest, but in flight it reveals a bold white-and-yellow wing patch instead of the smaller, purely yellow patch of its cousin. Both species were commonly imported under similar pet-trade names, which has historically caused some identification confusion.
Native to the Amazon basin, white-winged parakeets have never established as large a foothold in California as they have in Florida, but small numbers have been documented in Southern California over the years, typically associating with mixed Brotogeris flocks. Comparable small colonies of this species have also been reported in green birds in Arkansas, illustrating how scattered and unpredictable Brotogeris establishment can be outside of Florida’s stronghold populations.
Because white-winged and yellow-chevroned parakeets are so easily confused, careful observation of the wing pattern in flight is really the only reliable way to separate them in the field, especially since both species share similar calls and flock behavior.
9. Yellow-headed Amazon
The yellow-headed Amazon (Amazona oratrix) is a large, heavy-bodied parrot, mostly green with a yellow head that expands with age; young birds may show only a small yellow patch on the forehead, while mature adults can have the entire head washed in yellow. It’s one of the larger and more vocal parrots found in California’s feral flocks.
Native to Mexico and parts of Central America, the yellow-headed Amazon is classified as endangered in the wild due to habitat loss and illegal capture for the pet trade, which makes feral populations in places like Southern California an unplanned but meaningful genetic reservoir. According to the background on feral parrot establishment summarized on Wikipedia’s feral parrot overview, several Amazon species found stable footing in U.S. cities specifically because escaped or released pets found compatible climates and food sources.
Yellow-headed Amazons often roost and forage alongside red-crowned parrots, and distinguishing the two comes down to the head color and pattern rather than overall size, since both species are similarly bulky. For readers interested in other yellow-marked species across the state, yellow birds in California covers a wider range of species beyond parrots.
| Feral Parrot Species | Native Range | Approximate Length | California Stronghold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red-crowned Parrot | Northeastern Mexico | 12-13 inches | San Gabriel Valley |
| Red-masked Parakeet | Western Ecuador, northern Peru | 13 inches | Los Angeles, San Francisco |
| Monk Parakeet | Temperate South America | 11-13 inches | Scattered urban pockets |
| Mitred Parakeet | South American Andes | 13-15 inches | Los Angeles, Pasadena |
| Rose-ringed Parakeet | Africa, South Asia | 15-17 inches | Scattered suburban areas |
| Yellow-chevroned Parakeet | Central South America | 8-9 inches | Los Angeles basin |
| Nanday Parakeet | Central South America | 11-12 inches | Southern California |
| White-winged Parakeet | Amazon basin | 8-9 inches | Southern California (limited) |
While the eight parrots above have made headlines for establishing wild populations far from home, California’s remaining green birds tell a different story: native species that have nested in the state’s forests, chaparral, and woodlands for thousands of years.
10. Green-tailed Towhee
The green-tailed towhee (Pipilo chlorurus) is a chunky sparrow relative with an olive-green back, wings, and tail that contrast against a gray chest and a distinctive rufous crown patch. Its white throat is bordered by a thin dark line, giving it a cleaner facial pattern than most of its towhee relatives.
This species breeds in sagebrush and mountain chaparral habitats across the Sierra Nevada and parts of the Great Basin, then largely retreats from California in winter to spend the colder months farther south. According to the Birdzilla overview of California’s common birds, green-tailed towhees are more often heard than seen, since they tend to forage low in dense shrub cover rather than perching in the open.
Its call is a distinctive catlike mewing note, and its song is a rich, varied warble that can help confirm identification even when the bird stays hidden in brush. Unlike the feral parrots covered above, this towhee represents a genuinely native piece of California’s green bird species.
11. Violet-green Swallow
The violet-green swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) is a small aerial insectivore with an iridescent green back and crown that can flash violet or bronze depending on the light, paired with clean white underparts that extend up onto the sides of the rump. In flight, that white patch wrapping around the flanks is one of the best field marks for separating it from similar swallow species.
This species breeds throughout much of California in open woodlands, canyons, and increasingly in suburban areas that offer nest boxes or cavities in older trees and buildings. Violet-green swallows are highly aerial, spending most daylight hours catching insects on the wing, and they often forage in mixed flocks alongside other swallow species over open water and fields.
Readers who enjoy watching fast-flying, iridescent birds like this one might also appreciate hummingbirds in Northern California, another group of small, agile fliers that share overlapping habitat with violet-green swallows during the breeding season.
12. Orange-crowned Warbler
The orange-crowned warbler (Leiothlypis celata) is a plain but distinctly greenish-olive warbler, lacking the bold wing bars or facial patterns of many other warbler species. Its namesake orange crown patch is subtle and often concealed, visible mainly when the bird raises its head feathers during territorial displays or agitation.
This species is a year-round resident in parts of coastal California and a common migrant elsewhere in the state, making it one of the more reliably seen warblers across multiple seasons. It favors dense understory and shrubby habitat, foraging methodically through leaves and low branches rather than flitting rapidly like some of its warbler relatives.
Because its coloring is so subtle, the orange-crowned warbler is frequently misidentified by beginning birders as a nondescript vireo or immature warbler of another species. Its plain face, thin bill, and habit of pumping its tail while foraging are useful clues, and it pairs well as a study subject alongside hummingbirds in Southern California for anyone building broader identification skills in backyard and garden settings.
13. Wilson’s Warbler
Wilson’s warbler (Cardellina pusilla) is a small, bright yellow-green warbler with a solid black cap on males that makes it one of the easier warblers to identify at a glance. Females and immature birds often lack the full black cap or show only a partial dark patch, which can create some identification uncertainty during migration.
This species breeds in wet, shrubby habitat across parts of Northern California and the Sierra Nevada, then migrates through the rest of the state in spring and fall in large numbers. Its migration route extends across much of the continental United States, with the species also passing through regions as far east as those covered in green birds in Pennsylvania during peak fall movement.
Wilson’s warblers are active, constantly moving foragers, often flicking their tails and darting between branches while hunting insects. According to the range data compiled in Wikipedia’s list of birds of California, this species is among the most widely reported warblers in the state during migration season, making it one of the more accessible green birds for casual observers to check off a list.
Important Note: Feral parrot flock composition can shift from year to year as species interbreed and colonies expand or contract. Exact population figures for California’s naturalized parrots vary by source and survey year, so treat any specific counts as estimates rather than fixed totals.
From the loud, mixed-species parrot flocks of Los Angeles and San Francisco to the quiet, olive-toned warblers passing through Sierra meadows each spring, California’s green birds represent two very different stories: one of accidental introduction and surprising adaptability, and one of native species that have always belonged here. Learning to tell a mitred parakeet from a red-masked one, or a Wilson’s warbler from an orange-crowned warbler, takes some practice, but the payoff is a much richer picture of the birdlife sharing California’s skies.
For a closer look at how these species compare across different parts of the state, the guides on green birds in Southern California and black birds in California offer additional identification context for anyone building out a broader California birdwatching list.