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Description
Front, inside, and back of a souvenir card for visitors of the "Avian Alcove" - an exhibition and photo backdrop on view in the gardens of the Velaslavasay Panorama in Hollywood from 2002-2004, created by Sara Velas and Karen Velas. The painted backdrop was presented with 3D sculptures of a variety of birds, plants both living and artificial along with an audio soundtrack of birdsongs. For a modest donation, visitors were invited to take a souvenir photo with the backdrop. The photo holder is laser-printed black ink on cream colored cardstock, designed by Sara Velas. In this example the photographer who took the polaroid photograph is unknown. The text inside the souvenir card reads: "The Avian Alcove features local parrot inhabitants of Southern California. Included are three species of North American parrot. The Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis), the only indigenous of the three, became extinct in 1918. The last of its species died in the Cleveland zoo. His name was Incas. The species was booming in the mid-nineteenth century and was seen as a nuisance by farmers. The birds flew in large flocks and when one of them was shot down, the rest would surround the injured. This made it easy for the farmers to exterminate many at one time, thus protecting their crops and livelihood. Of the other two species, the Yellow-Headed Parrot (Amazona Orphocephala Oratix) hails from south of the border while the Yellow Chevroned Parakeet (Brotogeris chiriri) has its root in South America. The local parrots can often be seen squawking and darting around in groups up to 20 or more. They have established a permanent local community for themselves all over Southern California and are frequently spotted at the PANORAMA grounds. It is thought that the parrot species exist in the area partly because of a fire that occurred at a Pasadena pet store in the early 1990s, from pets that have been set free, and from escapees from parrot smugglers coming across the border via Mexico. The parrots are able to survive here as a result of exotic species of trees that have been imported, such as the Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis). They roost and feed in the Eucalyptus and sycamore trees and also enjoy fig and walnut trees."
Velaslavasay Panorama - Hollywood Boulevard Location 2000-2004 General - Velaslavasay Panorama Ephemera
Provenance
Velaslavasay Panorama California Revealed is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.
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