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, and in Washington. South Florida supports the largest population. Found in suburban and urban environments, particularly city parks.
African and New World Parrots (Psittacidae)
ORDER
The taxonomic order PSITTACIFORMES (pronounced sit-uh-suh-FORM-eez) is composed of three families; the cockatoos, New Zealand parrots such as the Kea, and parakeets and parrots.
FAMILY TAXONOMY
The Psittacidae (pronounced sit-UH-suh-dee), a family of nearly worldwide occurrence, includes three hundred and forty-eight species of parrots and parakeets in seventy-seven genera.
NORTH AMERICA
Fifty-four species of parrots and parakeets in fifteen genera have been recorded in North America (including two extinct species, the Carolina Parakeet and Cuban Macaw). Sixteen groups fall into this family found in North America that include conures, amazons, and macaws.
KNOWN FOR
African and New World Parrots are known for their distinctive bill shape, intelligence, and popularity as pets. The Yellow-headed Parrot is especially popular in this regard as it readily learns to repeat human speech. Unfortunately, this trait has made it such a popular cage bird that wild populations have become highly endangered because of capture for the pet trade.
PHYSICAL
African and New World Parrots are small to large in size. Although all share a short, sharply decurved bills, and have fairly short legs with strong “zygodactyl” toes (two facing forward and two facing backward), the overall shape of these birds differs considerably among groups. For example, the macaws and parakeets sport long, pointed tails and wings, while most of the parrots have square-shaped, short or medium length tails and fairly broad wings.
COLORATION
African and New World Parrots are colorful birds with predominately green plumage. Red and yellow patches are often found on the heads, wings, and tails, while some species also have blue or gray coloration.
GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT
In the United States and Canada, most members of this family occur as populations that escaped from captivity. Most of these persist in cities with mild climates and fruiting plants (many of which are also introduced species) that provide them with food.
MIGRATION
In North America, African and New World Parrots are non-migratory.
HABITS
African and New World Parrots are highly social birds typically occurring in flocks. They form strong pair bonds with individual pairs often discernible even when associating with other birds. Members of this family use their strong bills to crack open seeds and feed on fruits. When searching for fruiting and seeding trees, parrots fly high overhead, giving frequent screeching vocalizations. Upon flying into a tree, though, they go quiet and seem to “disappear” as their green plumage blends in with the foliage.
CONSERVATION
Several members of this family are endangered in various parts of the world due to habitat loss and capture for the pet trade.
INTERESTING FACTS
New world parrots tend to originate from rainforest habitats which is different from the Old world parrots that come from dryer habitats. It is suggested that disease might affect new world parrots and old world parrots differently.