Quaker Parrot

The monk parakeet was described by French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, in 1780 in his Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux. The bird was also illustrated in a hand-coloured plate engraved by François-Nicolas Martinet in the Planches Enluminées D'Histoire Naturelle, which was produced under the supervision of Edme-Louis Daubenton to accompany Buffon's text. Neither the plate caption nor Buffon's description included a scientific name, but in 1783, Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert coined the binomial name Psittacus monachus in his catalogue of the Planches Enluminées. As Buffon did not specify the origin of his specimen, in 1937 the American ornithologist James Peters assigned the type location as Montevideo, Uruguay. The monk parakeet is now placed in the genus Myiopsitta that was introduced by French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1854. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek mus, muos meaning "mouse" and the Neo-Latin psitta meaning "parrot", alluding to the mouse-grey face and underparts. The specific epithet monachus is Late Latin for "monk". The monk parakeet is one of two species in the genus Myiopsitta, the other being the cliff parakeet (Myiopsitta luchsi). The latter was previously treated as a subspecies of the Monk Parakeet. Due to morphological and behavioural differences, and geographical dissimilarities, the International Ornithological Committee elevated the cliff parakeet to species status in 2015. BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World followed suit in 2020 and the South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society in late 2024. As of late 2024 the Clements taxonomy retains the cliff parakeet as a subspecies of the monk parakeet. The monk and cliff parakeets' elevational ranges apparently do not overlap, so they are thus entirely, but just barely, allopatric. throughout the Río Paraguay and middle Paraná basins, as well as the Gran Chaco. It is essentially identical to M. m. calita, but reported as less yellow below and brighter overall. The subspecies' ranges meet in the general area of Paraguay, and there they are insufficiently delimited. The distinctness and delimitation of M. m. calita and M. m. cotorra especially require further study.

The monk parakeet and the cliff parakeet are the only two parrot species outside some members of the African lovebirds (Agapornis sp.) that build nests. Monk and cliff parakeets are unique among even nesting parrots for their construction of large, external nests in trees or manmade structures instead of using tree cavities. File:047 Monk parakeets flying in Encontro das Águas State Park Photo by Giles Laurent.jpg|Couple in flight in Mato Grosso, Brazil File:Monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus monachus) flock in flight Colonia.jpg|flock in Uruguay File:Monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus monachus) in flight with nesting material Colonia.jpg|with nesting material File:Myiopsitta monachus -Santiago, Chile -nest-8.jpg|alt=Birds and their nest in Santiago, Chile|nest in Santiago File:Myiopsitta monachus -nests -Zaragoza -Spain-8.jpg|alt=Nests in Zaragoza, Spain|Nests in Zaragoza The monk parrot is a gregarious species which often breeds colonially, building a single large nest with separate entrances for each pair. It is not uncommon, however, for pairs or individuals to nest outside of colonies, especially during the breeding season. These tenants include many other birds, such as pigeons, sparrows, American kestrels, and yellow-billed teal, but mammals like red squirrels may also occupy a nest. Their 1–11 white eggs are incubated continuously by the female, during which time the male will provide her with food. Unusually for a parrot, monk parakeet pairs occasionally have helper individuals, often grown offspring, which assist with feeding the young (see kin selection). Monk parakeets have an average lifespan in their natural environment of 6 years. However, birds in captivity can reach 10 – 20 years. Monk parakeets probably have individual voice prints that allow them to recognize each other, independently from the used call type. In both their native South America, as well as areas where they have been introduced, monk parakeets are among the most destructive birds for crops. Several countries have implemented measures to control the spread of feral populations; nest removal is a common practice in the United States, and the United Kingdom's Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is planning to remove monk parakeet colonies, citing threats to infrastructure and potential crop damage. Feral populations are often descended from very small founder populations. Being as social and intelligent as they are, monk parakeets develop some cultural traditions, namely vocal dialects that differ between groups. In populations descended from a large number of birds, a range of "dialects" exists. If the founder population is small, however, a process similar to genetic drift may occur if prominent founders vocalize in an unusual "dialect", with this particular way of vocalizing becoming established in the resulting feral colony. For example, no fewer than three different "dialects" occur among the feral monk parrots of the Milford, Connecticut, metropolitan area.

In its native range, the monk parakeet is very common. Their population explosion in South American rural areas seems to be associated with the expansion of eucalyptus forestry for paper pulp production, which offers the bird the opportunity to build protected nests in artificial forests where ecological competition from other species is limited.

|alt=Parc de la Ciutadella of Barcelona, Spain]] |alt=Ga'ash, Israel]] Feral populations have been recorded in Europe, the Americas, North Africa, the Middle East, and East and Southeast Asia. As one of the few temperate-zone parrots, the monk parakeet is able to survive cold climates. This is partly attributed to their habit of building nests on warm electrical equipment, which also can create serious fire risk.

|alt=Santa Ponsa, Majorca, Spain]] It is estimated that monk parakeets in Spain account for more than 80% of Europe's feral population. As an invasive species, it harms local fauna such as pigeons and sparrows, as well as crops. Spain has outlawed the possession and trafficking of monk parakeets since 2013. Madrid had the greatest population of monk parakeets in Europe, with 10,800 as of June 2015, and the population in Barcelona was estimated at 5,000 in the same year. Between 2013 and 2021, the monk parakeet population in Seville increased from 1,200 to 6,300 individuals. Other locations with documented populations include: * Canary Islands In the United Kingdom, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced plans in 2011 to control them, countering the threat to infrastructure, crops, and native British wildlife by trapping and rehoming, removing nests, and shooting when necessary. Groups of monk parakeets can be found in the Belgian capital city Brussels and its surrounding areas. They have been living in the wild at least since the 1970s. Monk parakeet populations have previously been reported in Denmark, Austria, and Czechia, but have not survived; the relatively colder weather in these countries likely contributes to these failed invasions. Other populations in the UK, France, and the Netherlands have also similarly declined into extirpation.

Populations have been documented in: * Israel

Populations have been documented in: * Canada * Mexico * United States

The species has in recent years expanded its range in Brazil, where a self-sustaining population occurs in the downtown area of Rio de Janeiro. Since this population occurs far from the bird's original range in Brazil – it was only found in the far south and southwest – it is most probably a consequence of escapees from the pet trade.

A breeding population on the island of Eleuthera was present from 1985 to the mid 1990s, but had disappeared by 1996, possibly due to the impact of hurricanes.

In 1984, six monk parakeets were released from a pet store in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, a suburb of Montreal, Quebec. In May 1987, monk parakeets were recorded breeding in Canada for the first time in the Montreal suburb of Laval; this constitutes the northernmost continental breeding record for the species.

The monk parakeet was first recorded in Mexico City between 1994–1995. As of 2015, monk parakeets have been reported in 97 Mexican cities, and in all regions of the country. Sometimes, the head and breast feathers of monk parakeets are dyed yellow to deceive uninformed buyers, mimicking the endangered yellow-headed amazon.

Thousands of monk parakeets were imported to the United States between the 1960s and the 1980s as pets. Many escaped or were intentionally released, and populations were allowed to proliferate. By the early 1970s, M. monachus was established in seven states, and by 1995, it had spread to eight more. In Florida alone, estimates range from 150,000 to 500,000. Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Texas, also have thriving monk parakeet populations.

, NY]] In 2012, a pair of monk parakeets attempted nesting in Watervliet, New York, about north of New York City, near Albany, New York. They have also found a home in Brooklyn, and Queens, New York, notably in Green-Wood Cemetery, with some speculating they were accidentally released at John F. Kennedy Airport in the 1960s. They thrive in Brooklyn, Queens, and western Long Island due to their preference for nesting in utility poles; populations have not expanded to Manhattan because of the borough's underground wiring.

The population in Chicago is estimated to be at 1,000 birds, with healthy colonies located in several of the city's parks. According to University of Chicago ornithologist Dr. Stephen Pruett-Jones, the population originated in the pet trade. The first documented parrot nest in Chicago dates to 1973. The birds are generally welcomed in the city, especially by bird watchers, and were the subject of a 2012 ornithological study. File:Myiopsitta monachus -Florida -two in tree-8.jpg|Two Monk parakeets in a tree Florida|alt=Florida, USA File:Monk Parakeet nest -- League City, Texas.jpg |Monk parakeet nest in League City |alt=Nest in electrical tower—League City, Texas File:Myiopsitta monachus -Old San Juan -Puerto Rico.jpg|Monk parakeet in San Juan|alt=San Juan, Puerto Rico File:Monk parakeets (71204).jpg|Pair of monk parakeets in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY File:Green-Wood Cemetery parrots (54862).webm|The large nest in the Green-Wood Cemetery gate

Auckland has banned the sale, breeding, and distribution of monk parakeets since September 1, 2022. However, pre-existing monk parakeets can be kept.

Monk parakeets are highly intelligent, social birds. Those kept as pets routinely develop vocabularies of scores of words and phrases. Due to this early speaking ability, it is overtaking the cockatiel as the favourite bird to teach to talk. Another contributing factor to growing popularity is that this bird has a shorter lifespan and lower price than African grey parrots. Because of monk parakeets' listing as an agricultural pest and invasive species, the U.S. states of California, Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, as well as Western Australia outlaw their sale and ownership. In Connecticut, ownership is permitted, but sale and breeding are prohibited. In New York and Virginia, one can own monk parakeets with banding and registration. In Rhode Island, an exotic animal possession permit is required for ownership. In Ohio, owning one is legal if the bird's flight feathers are clipped or it is incapable of free flight. File:Myiopsitta_monachus_-pet_-blue_mutation-8a.jpg|Pet with blue mutation File:Monk_Parakeet_Bird.jpg|Pets with yellow mutation

* [http://cityparrots.org/journal/tag/myiopsitta-monachus-monk-parakeet Monk parakeet news from around the world] * [http://www.avianwelfare.org/issues/naturalized.htm Naturalized Parrots in the U.S.] * [http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw302 Monk parakeet factsheet] from the University of Florida/IFAS * [https://web.archive.org/web/20130224133818/http://www.brooklynparrots.com/ BrooklynParrots.com], a website about monk parakeets in Brooklyn * [http://10000birds.com/the-parakeet-of-city-streets-the-monk-parakeet.htm The Parakeet of City Streets], an article on introduced monk parakeets on 10000birds.com

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040620180729/http://quakerville.com/index.asp QuakerVille], a forum for monk parakeet owners monk parakeet Category:Feral parrots monk parakeet Category:Birds of Argentina Category:Birds of the Pantanal Category:Birds of Paraguay Category:Birds of Uruguay monk parakeet monk parakeet Category:Talking birds Category:Articles containing video clips