But whether these politicians are sincere believers or manipulative opportunists, the dynamics they unleash can be profoundly destabilizing for liberal democracy.
Native birds like the woodpeckers or northern mockingbirds that depend on similar food sources, may find themselves out competed by the opportunistic parrots.
Baumann says that studying the remains of opportunistic scavengers like foxes—that learn to take advantage of human societies—can offer useful information about human impacts on ecosystems over time.