E-Mail This Article to a Friend THE WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL

This nimbly shot documentary about a flock of parrots and their loving chronicler shares the vibe and the beauty of its San Francisco setting. Filmmaker Judy Irving and caretaker Mark Bittner almost dare you to be cynical as they spin years of observation into mini-dramas about the green birds’ individual personalities and relationships. Irving has an eye for expressive, even uncanny moments: an outcast perched beside a nuzzling pair, a fledgling’s spastic virgin flight, even a startling pan from the airborne flock to a fighter jet. The film is equally a portrait of Bittner, himself a rare bird, though probably a recognizable type to San Franciscans. This empathic soul came after the Beats and has knocked about careerless ever since. No smotherer, he argues before a city council for leaving the birds alone. The emotional lives of parrots and Bittner alike are compelling, but some may quail before the poignancy on display. By the end, when he recounts sensing gratitude from a dying bird named Tupelo, you’ll either be deeply moved or wish Errol Morris had gotten here first. (83 minutes)