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Monk
Parakeets: Why Here?
By Linda Pearson and Alison Olivieri
(Editor’s Note: This article was published in
the December 1995 issue of Birder’s Digest ,
authored by two of Connecticut Audubon’s most noted birders
who conducted extensive research into monk
parakeets. The large parrot nest tree featured in this
article was destroyed in a storm in June 1993. The birds have
dispersed to nest at other nearby sites.)
To stand
in a lovely residential neighborhood in coastal Connecticut
and be surrounded by scores of chattering, screeching, free-flying
wild parrots, is to experience a fantasy. To look up into
an immense 75 foot evergreen tree containing over 40 parrot
nests and see two adult great horned owls roosting silently
among the branches of the tree is to extend the fantasy. But
to look closer and see firmly settled on top of one of the
parrot nests a fluffy, white, baby great horned owl stretches
fantasy to its outermost limit.
Questions
Everywhere
As surreal a situation as it might seem this was the state
of reality for a colleague and myself in May 1992. What were
these parrots doing here in the middle of this suburban Connecticut
neighborhood? Why were there so many nests in this massive,
exotic, evergreen tree which marked the property line between
two lovely contemporary houses and closely abutted the street?
Don't parrots live in the tropics? How could they survive
our cold New England winters? Of more pressing interest, what
kept the parrots there when the largest avian predators in
the Northeast had set up housekeeping in the middle of their
colony? Why weren't they in a panic over the new tenants?
Weren't they probably the top item on the owl family's grocery
list?
The questions
about the presence of the parrots were ones we had been wrestling
with for over a year. The unexpected arrival of the owls in
the winter of 1992, however, added a whole new concern. Small
numbers of these parrots had been seen in New York, Long Island
and Connecticut since the early 1970's. The species, known
as monk parakeets (Myiopsitta
monachus) ordinarily residents of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil,
Paraguay and Uruguay, were imported in large numbers to this
country by the pet industry in the late 1960's and early 1970's.
Theories as to how they escaped into the wild include broken
crates at airports, accidental releases by pet stores and
pet owners, intentional releases by overstocked pet stores,
and liberation by pet owners unable to stand the birds' screeching
and squawking.
Hearty
Survivors
All of these are reasonable explanations and the numbers of
monk parakeets sighted all over
the United States would indicate that these birds did not
enter the wild through one single event but rather through
varied and multiple incidents. Whatever their means of release,
once on their own they managed to survive very successfully.
Actually, in many parts of their range in South America the
temperatures were quite similar to our milder winters. They
were certainly thriving here in Connecticut and their numbers
were on the increase. At first only a handful of parrots had
occupied this particular neighborhood tree. Now this tree
held the largest colony of them in Connecticut. Reports of
more sightings and more nests up and down the coast were becoming
common.
The Connecticut
Audubon Society had received so many calls and inquiries about
them, that the Director of the Connecticut Audubon Center
at Fairfield, Milan Bull, felt it was time to collect some
serious information on these birds. As an introduced species
it was possible that they were displacing native birds or
carrying diseases harmful to native birds. Since they are
considered agricultural pests in South America it would be
important to know if their dietary habits made them a threat
to Connecticut crops and vegetation. Just where were they
settling and how fast were they spreading? Therefore, as inveterate
bird watchers and long-time bird banders for the Connecticut
Audubon Society,we, in an effort to answer some of these questions,
volunteered to conduct a study of these intriguing but misplaced
birds.
Revealing
Research Begins Revealing Research Begins
We began the study in January of 1991 and set 5 goals: a census
of the birds through the location of nests; a determination
of their diet; an estimation of their effect, if any, on native
birds; a judgement as to whether they were just a temporary
phenomenon or an established species in Connecticut; and,
if established, what factors made this possible?
Between
the time period of our first observations in January 1991
and May of 1992 we had learned a great deal about these fascinating
birds. The monk parakeet is approximately
12 inches in length, with a bright green body, deep blue primary
feathers, yellowish green underparts and a sharply pointed
long blue-green tail. The distinguishing markings and the
source of its name is the gray forehead, face and breast which
give the appearance of a hood, (i.e., a monk's hood). The
breast feathers have darker edges giving a scaled impression.
Their eyes are brown, their legs are gray and their bills
are beige.
Unique
Nests Are A Key
A colonial nester, the monk parakeet
is the only parrot of 300 members of the Psittacidae family
to build a stick nest. All the other species are cavity nesters.
Not only does the monk parakeet
build a stick nest but it builds a very, very big stick nest,
mound-like in shape and sometimes over six feet long and three
to four feet wide. Each nest can contain multiple, separate
nesting chambers each with its own entrance hole located on
the underside of the nest.
In South
America, these entrances on the bottom of the nest are designed
to keep predators (generally snakes and monkeys) from gaining
access to the nesting chambers. The strategy works just as
well here - cats, opossums and raccoons being the likely predators.
The suburban neighborhood tree, site of the largest Connecticut
colony, has at least 40 nests structures and each nest houses
one to seven pairs of parrots, each living in its own chamber
- - rather like a condominium .
The nest
is the center of activity for these energetic and sociable
birds. They live in it year round and spend all year building,
adding, and repairing it. The noise level as they work can
be extraordinary - - squawks, rattles, chrrs and screeches
at top volume. Their raucous calls in flight make them easily
identifiable even at great distances from their nest. They
can be seen carrying sticks three times the lengths of their
own bodies through the air to the tree where they patiently
poke and push and work the stick into the structure. The nests
do suffer storm damage and sometimes large chunks or entire
nests can be found on the ground beneath the tree.
Year ‘round
use of the nest means the birds have some protection from
bad weather. It would seem reasonable to believe that some
warmth is provided when the birds huddle together inside it.
We believe the enclosed nest is a factor in the monk
parakeet's ability to survive the colder New England winters.
A
Growing Population
Ascertaining facts on the reproductive life of the parrots
is another difficulty we've encountered. We know they are
reproducing because of the increase of the main colony nests
and the increase of nest sites up and down the Connecticut
coast. In South America, the monk
parakeets' breeding season is November. In Connecticut,
we have observed copulation in late spring and nestlings have
been found in July and August. It is hard to ascertain when
exactly the young are born. Unlike many birds who can be observed
carrying food and are thus feeding young, the monk
parakeets feed their young with a kind of milk produced
and regurgitated from their crops. Since we can't see inside
the nests or observe the adults carrying food we can only
guess at their family status.
By the
time the young are fledged they resemble the adults in most
respects except for a slightly green wash on their foreheads
(hard to see through binoculars) and a tubercule on their
beaks up until 2 months and then only a scar until the third
month at which time the scar disappears. We have had no reports
of young at any other time of the year so we assume that the
parrots only have one brood a year in the summertime in New
England.
Apparently
when nest sites become unavailable in the original tree, due
to rising population, pairs move off to other locations and
start other small colonies. We discovered during the course
of the first year of observation that there were smaller colonies
beginning in many new locations from Norwalk to Branford,
Connecticut. In the second year of observation we discovered
not only completely new nest sites but that all of the "off-shoot"
colonies had an increased number of nests.
We also
learned that Rhode Island has a growing population of monk
parakeets. The common factor for all these populations
is that they are located within approximately 3 miles of the
coast. The more moderate temperatures of these coastal areas
may be a determining factor in this distribution pattern.
The parrots
leave the nest in small foraging parties (of 2 -14) shortly
after sunrise. Sometimes they graze on lawns eating blades
of grass or dandelion stalks in much the same manner of a
person eating spaghetti. Probably, with the grass stalks they
are also ingesting grass seeds and small invertebrates. The
birds are often seen sitting in the tops of trees eating leaf
buds or fruit. They are partial to the leaf buds from birch,
ash, and maple, as well as wild cherries, crabapples, pears,
apples and mulberries. They have been reported to eat suet,
cracked corn, pine seeds, insects and acorns as well.
What has
made the parrots particularly noticeable over the past few
years is their increasing presence at bird feeders especially
where sunflower seeds are offered. The availability of such
a high fat food in the winter may also be a prime factor in
their ability to survive the cold winters.
Connecticut
Audubon has received scattered reports of damage done by the
parrots to fruit in season, garden tomatoes and ornamental
trees, but we have not been able to verify these claims. We
noticed that the maple and ash trees around the main colony
appeared ragged in the spring, many of the twigs having been
chewed off for nest building. However, by late spring the
trees were in full leaf and seemed none the worse for wear.
Most of the neighbors around the tree do not seem to feel
that the parrots do any appreciable damage.
We also
have not observed particularly aggressive behavior by the
parrots toward other native birds. At feeders the parrots
tend to dominate while feeding but then move on to other locations
thus leaving the feeders available for other birds. We observed
many passerine birds (i.e., robins, mockingbirds, finches,
sparrows, mourning doves, woodpeckers) foraging around the
main colony and often landing in the tree itself with no noticeable
reaction from the parrots.
An
Unlikely Companion
Perhaps the parrots were carrying this behavior to a fault
when the great horned owls moved in in 1992. Back in December
1990, birders doing the Christmas Bird Count had been at the
"parrot tree" at sundown just as a great horned
owl had flown into the tree. The response then had been for
the parrots to fly out in a great flock thus conveniently
enabling the birders to get a count of approximately 185 birds.
Neighbors said they had heard the owls calling in December
of 1991 so it would appear that the owls had been reconnoitering
the area for some time.
Since
great horned owls don't build their own nests but instead
take over the abandoned nests of other birds such as red-tailed
hawks, eagles, herons, and crows, they must have looked on
this tree full of huge stick mounds as a nest hunter's paradise.
They settled on the biggest nest in the tree which had originally
been rather "L" shaped but during the winter had
lost the top half of the "L" leaving just the bottom
part. This section still contained two parrot nesting chambers.
On top of this section the owls proceeded to lay their eggs.
One nestling survived. The parrots went on about their business.
In fact, parrots could be seen working on their part of the
nest while the baby owl sat directly above them in its part
of the nest. The adult owls spent the days roosting in the
tree, blending so well with the foliage and tree bark that
sometimes it took us 5 or 10 minutes to locate them.
We thought
that the owls' moving in would probably the end of this parrot
colony and of a major part of our study. Surely, day after
day the owls would help themselves to the parrots until there
were no parrots left. By that time the baby owl would fledge
and they would all move on.
We found
it imperative to know what the owls were eating and whether
their diet included monk parakeets.
Unfortunately, the nest was too high to be able to investigate
its debris. Nor did we want to tangle with the adult owls.
However, regurgitated owl pellets were obvious on the clipped
grass under the tree and on the paved street nearby. We began
to collect them.
We were
relieved to find that the pellets contained the skulls and
bones of rats, squirrels, mice and voles. One day we found
a pheasant leg under the tree and another day we found part
of a seagull wing. We found no parrot skulls or green feathers
in the pellets or under the tree. Evidently the owls were
finding their food in the nearby marshes, fields and woods
and not preying on their closest neighbors.
Why would
the owls pass up such an ample food supply which would require
so little energy to harvest? One explanation was temporal
separation: the owls don't hunt in the daytime when the parrots
are active, and the parrots are in their nests when the owls
are ready to hunt. In the winter when the weather is cold
and the sun sets early, the parrots are all in their nests
practically before dark. The owls would start calling as the
first stars appeared and would fly off to hunt only when it
was dark.
There
is also a theory that predators don't hunt in the immediate
vicinity of their own nests or lairs, probably in order not
to draw the attention of other predators to their young. By
the end of May, the baby owl was acquiring its darker adult
plumage. Although the parents continued to remain hidden,
the baby was very active and easily seen in the daylight hours.
Often crows would mob the tree, but the baby would hunch down
under a branch, and the adult owls never responded. Eventually
the crows would give up.
Taking
Flight
As flight feathers began to appear the nestling would stretch
its wings and flap them. Then it began to climb around the
top branches of the tree and take short experimental flights
from branch to branch. One night in early June the baby was
strong enough to fly, and the owls left the tree. They could
be heard hooting softly in some nearby white pines for a few
nights after their departure.
We were
sorry to see them go as it had been a rare experience to watch
the baby mature. How often does one get such a close-up view
of the life of these great predators? Who would have believed
that the two species - - owl and parrot - - could live together
so harmoniously. How relieved we were that they could.
We certainly
know more about monk parakeets
now than we did earlier. We have located most of the nests
along the Connecticut coast. We know what the parrots eat
and so far have not witnessed any serious damage to crops.
The birds' tendency to settle coastally, their enclosed nests
and a good winter supply of food at bird feeders may all be
factors in their ability to thrive. They do not seem to be
competing with or adversely affecting native birds.
For now
we can enjoy the monk parakeet
as a flamboyant and intriguing member of our avian population.
We will continue observing our local population, counting
nest sites,and pursuing a method of marking individuals so
that we can decipher their social structure.
MONK
PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus monachus)
Description
12", looks similar to mourning dove in flocking flight.
Predominantly green with gray forehead and gray scaling on
breast, dark blue primaries. Eyes are brown, bill beige and
legs gray.
Range
Naturally occurs in southern South America: central Bolivia
and southern Brazil to central Argentina, including Paraguay
and Uruguay. Exotic in U.S. with populations in CT, CA, IL,
FL, MD, TX and RI.
Food
Virtually omniverous including fruits, cereal, seeds, nuts,
leaf buds, grasses, blossoms, insects and insect larvae; have
also been observed eating meat according to Forshaw. Considered
an agricultural pest in South America, this has yet to be
documented in ornithological literature.
Nesting
Only species of parrot (Family Psittacidae) to build stick
nests. Nests can contain many separate chambers that house
pairs (or more). Apparently only one breeding season in temperate
zone with fledglings appearing in June-July. Young fed by
regurgitation.
Habits
Gregarious; noisy, raucous calls and many other vocalizations.
Fly strongly but seldom for long distances. Climb using bill.
"Waddling" walk caused by zygodactyl configuration
of toes -- two in front and two in back.
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