In October 2025, I began working with RS-Film on the Spanish chapter of Invasion der Papageien, a 30-minute ARTE documentary exploring how Cologne, London and Madrid deal with their growing parrot populations.
I researched and coordinated the approximately ten-minute Spanish chapter as a researcher, local fixer, interviewer and translator. In April 2026, I organised and accompanied the complete week-long shoot in Madrid and Valladolid.
Invasion der Papageien airs on ARTE on September 23, 2026, at 7:40 PM CEST.
Focus of the Spanish Chapter
Madrid’s monk parakeets divide public opinion. Some residents enjoy their colourful presence, while others are concerned about their noise, enormous nests and rapid expansion.
The chapter brings together PACMA spokesperson Asunción Estévez Chacón, artist Lidia Toga, SOS Cotorras, Plataforma Protección Cotorras and local residents.
In Valladolid, Marina Escudero Sastre and Dave Hernández Martín present SAFeeder, an AI-based feeder designed to support the selective and humane control of non-native bird populations.
Scope
- Researched and coordinated the Spanish production from October 2025.
- Secured interviewees and filming locations in Madrid and Valladolid.
- Organised the complete schedule and logistics for the week-long shoot.
- Conducted and translated live interviews and informal conversations on site.
- Coordinated follow-up communication, releases and approvals.
Project Outcome
Several months of research and preparation made it possible to capture a wide range of perspectives within a tightly organised filming week. The Madrid interviews reveal how emotional the debate surrounding the parrots has become, while SAFeeder introduces a constructive and technology-based approach to the challenge.
My work enabled the production team to move efficiently between protagonists and locations, conduct natural interviews in Spanish and understand the local context behind each story.
Together with the chapters filmed in Cologne and London, the Spanish segment shows that there is no single European response to green parrots. Each city must find its own balance between biodiversity, animal welfare and the realities of a changing urban environment.