Feral Monk Parakeets

[freckles and boo]

For the last twenty years or so wild parrots (monk parakeets) have been flying around the south side of Chicago. I see them all the time by my kids' school but today was the first day I was buzzed by a pair while taking in my groceies. It is kind of disorienting and fun to see bright green and yellow parrots flying over my snowy yard! I was just curious if anyone else has them and where?

 

[Ms Marigny]

Yes, we have them here! (New Orleans) They've been here for years, since I was a little girl. They seem to like roosting in certain palm trees and eat the pine nuts from pine trees. It's so much fun to see them flying around- I feel like I'm in the tropics!

 

[VirtuallyMe]

Yes, we have them here! (New Orleans) They've been here for years, since I was a little girl. They seem to like roosting in certain palm trees and eat the pine nuts from pine trees. It's so much fun to see them flying around- I feel like I'm in the tropics!

I was about to post about them being in New Orleans- that My dh's grandmother used to have them roost in her oak trees- really weird to see so many of the colorful birds supposedly someone who bred them died and family released them years ago- and they survived

 

[Virgo10]

Isn't there a large colony of these in Connecticut? Yup, just did a search.

Also a lot of info about the power company killing them because of nesting problems.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-monks_31met.ART0.North.Edition2.7853363.html

 

[ScorpioJeni]

We have them here in SWFL too. They nest on the light poles at the ball field where my DS plays. The noise can be a bit deafening sometimes.

 

[Lassie Lynne]

Here are Cherry headed Conure Parrots (little bit larger birds) in San Fransisco:

 

[Talking Hands]

We have all sorts of exotic birds loose here in SE FL. It is fascinating when you see them all. A lot escaped after hurricane Andrew from both homes and stores.

 

[freckles and boo]

We have all sorts of exotic birds loose here in SE FL. It is fascinating when you see them all. A lot escaped after hurricane Andrew from both homes and stores.

It is fascinating. I know that there is some concern about their impact on native species - at least there is here. But they are also prey. As I was picking up my girls today I saw a hawk chasing one, followed by several of the parrots chasing the hawk. I still find it so wonderfully odd that they have adapted to survive in cold climates. It was nine degrees a couple days ago.

 

[DawnCt1]

Isn't there a large colony of these in Connecticut? Yup, just did a search.

Also a lot of info about the power company killing them because of nesting problems.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-monks_31met.ART0.North.Edition2.7853363.html

Somehow, Ct. allowed the power company to incinerate the nests after they killed the occupants. They argued that the nest disrupted the power supplies. It doesn't sound like that is an issue in other parts of the country. I think that friends of animals intervened but not before they had killed most of them. It's a sorry state of affairs in Ct.

 

[freckles and boo]

Somehow, Ct. allowed the power company to incinerate the nests after they killed the occupants. They argued that the nest disrupted the power supplies. It doesn't sound like that is an issue in other parts of the country. I think that friends of animals intervened but not before they had killed most of them. It's a sorry state of affairs in Ct.

You would think there would be a better way to deal with the problem. It sounds like they took the easy way out.

 

[Simba's Mom]

For the last twenty years or so wild parrots (monk parakeets) have been flying around the south side of Chicago. I see them all the time by my kids' school but today was the first day I was buzzed by a pair while taking in my groceies. It is kind of disorienting and fun to see bright green and yellow parrots flying over my snowy yard! I was just curious if anyone else has them and where?

Wow, that's so cool! We'll have to look for them when we go up to visit DH's mother in CHicago this summer.
We have both parrots and parakeets, but I think in our area (on the Mexican border in Texas), they're native/wild, not escaped (although we do have some excaped critters). We have yellow-headed parrots, red-crowned, and lilac crowned.

 

[lesroi]

Wow, that is so neat! I have never heard of these birds. I wonder if there are any in Central Florida? Surely there must be? We have a lot of birds of prey around here so perhaps that is why I never see many small birds. They must be too scared!


Tracy

 

[jonestavern]

The monk parakeets have been in Rhode Island for over 20 years.
They are not native to the area.
When friends of mine would tell me they saw them, I would deny having seen the monks & tell Joan & Paul they were nuts

I still will not admit to seeing the birds

Jean

 

[va32h]

Feral Monk Parakeets would be an awesome name for a band.