Monk Parakeet

Myiopsitta monachusOrder: PSITTACIFORMES Family: Parakeets and Parrots (Psittacidae)

Codes: Common Name: MOPA Scientific Name: MYIMON ITIS Taxonomic No.: 177723

Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips

Overview

Monk Parakeet: Medium parakeet, green overall, gray forehead, cheeks, lores, throat. Breast is gray, variably barred by dark edges on feathers. Pale pink bill. Belly; lower back, and rump are yellow-green. Wings are dull green with blue flight feathers. Tail is green above with central blue shafts.

Range and Habitat

Monk Parakeet: Native of South America; introduced to North America, establishing feral populations in and around cities from New England to the midwest, southeast Texas, and Florida; south Florida supports the largest population. Found in suburban and urban environments, particularly city parks.

Topo Map: Perching-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"chape", "chape-yee", "kurr"

Interesting Facts

Also called Quaker Parrot, feral Monk Parakeets in the U.S. were first recorded in New York in 1967.

Although it is an invasive species, there has been little data showing a negative impact on either native species or agriculture. It is, however, often considered a nuisance as groups are very noisy and messy in foraging.

Its large, communal nests of sticks are easily identifiable and are often built on support poles of electrical lines.

A group of parakeets is collectively known as a "chatter" and a "flock" of parakeets.

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Monk Parakeet

● Song: "chape", "chape-yee", "kurr"

● Foraging & Feeding: Monk Parakeet: Eats legumes, grains, seeds, leaf buds, fruits, berries, nuts, blossoms, and insects; searches for food around human habitations, foraging in flocks on the ground and in trees.

● Breeding & nesting: Monk Parakeet: Five to nine white eggs are laid in a nest made of sticks and twigs built by both parents, sometimes with the help of other birds in colony. Nest is built in the highest branches of a tree or on a tall structure. Incubation ranges from 25 to 31 days and is carried out by both parents. Usually raises two broods per year.

● Similar species: Monk Parakeet: White-winged Parakeet is smaller, yellow-green overall, shows yellow-and-white patch on wings, and lacks gray on face, crown, and breast.

Flight Pattern

Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: Monk Parakeet: Native of South America; introduced to North America, establishing feral populations in and around cities from New England to the midwest, southeast Texas, and Florida; south Florida supports the largest population. Found in suburban and urban environments, particularly city parks.

^BreedingMonogamous

^PopulationRare

^MigrationNonmigratory

^Weight3.5 Ounces

Perching-like Body

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

Flight feathers

Located on the wing, and collectively called remiges (singular, remex). The long stiff feathers are subdivided into two major groups based on the location and are called primaries and secondaries.

Rump

The area between the uppertail coverts and the back of the bird.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America

Monk Parakeet

Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips

Overview

Range and Habitat

Topo Map: Perching-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

Interesting Facts

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Related Birds

Monk Parakeet

Flight Pattern