The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill is the inspiring story of how one man found his lifes workand true loveamong a gang of wild parrots roosting in one of Americas most picturesque urban settings. Mark Bittner was down on his luck. Hed gone to San Francisco at the age of twenty-one to take a stab at a music career, but he hadnt had much success. After many years as an odd-jobber in the area, he accepted work as a housekeeper for an elderly woman. The gig came with a rent-free studio apartment on the citys famed Telegraph Hill, which had somehow become home to a flock of brilliantly colored wild parrots. In this unforgettable story, Bittner recounts how he became fascinated by the birds and made up his mind to get to know them and gain their trust. He succeeds to such a degree that he becomes the local wild parrot expert and a tourist attraction. People cant help gawking at the man who, during daily feedings, stands with parrots perched along both arms and atop his head. When a documentary filmmaker comes along to capture the phenomenon on film, the story takes a surprising turn, and Bittners life truly takes flight.From the Hardcover edition.