Feral Monk Parakeets in Chicago!

These parakeets are a sub-tropical species from southern Latin America, namely Argentina; genus and species Myiopsitta monachus. There are also three other subspecies. Commonly kept as pets under the name of the Quaker parrot, these birds are intelligent and friendly to humans. In this feral population, they are somewhat wary of humans and stay to the trees or the nests when approached. They can be identified by their bright green back and head, grey underbelly, and the scalloping feathers on the throat. Also notice the distinctive blue wing primary feathers, strong hooked beak and sharply pointed tail. The only native bird that rivals its bright green plumage is the female Painted Bunting. In South America they are generally regarded as agricultural pests but have not proven to be so in Chicago, and are actually very popular. The only complaints directed at the birds stem from their constant loud chatter, usually a very harsh eeeh-eeeh, although they have eleven recognized vocalizations. Members of the Psittacidae family, including 358 species of mostly tropical parrots, the monks are unique due to their complex nesting behaviour. The nests are huge, bulky structures, built by weaving small twigs together on a tree branch or electrical pole. They have even built on a satellite dish in Hyde Park. The nest can contain from 1 to 6 nesting pairs on average, each with a separate compartment and entrance hole. Chicago probably has the harshest winter monk parakeets face in the world, and it has been speculated that they survive exclusively on bird seed in backyard feeders during the coldest months (Hyman and Pruett-Jones 1995).