Study: Rat poison killing, sickening San Francisco's famous parrots

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Spring is for the birds here in the Bay Area, but a new study says some of San Francisco's most famous residents could be in trouble.

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The wild parrots of Telegraph Hill are being exposed to a common rat poison called Bromethalin, according to a multi-year report published in the scientific journal in PLOS ONE.

Researchers say a Bromethalin is responsible for a neurological disease that has sickened or killed some of the feral parrots.

For the Birds in San Jose provided care for many of the affected parrots.

Researchers do not know how the parrots are being exposed to the poison, but they are planning a follow-up study to determine the source.

The study was funded by the Bay Area based nonprofit Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue.