20-12-2024 EL RETIRO PARK MADRID, ESPANA - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)

The Monk Parakeet, also known as the Quaker Parrot, is a small and vibrant green parrot with a greyish breast and a greenish-yellow abdomen. This charming bird is a member of the true parrot family, Psittacidae, and is known for its relatively long lifespan of 20-30 years.

Adult Monk Parakeets measure approximately 29 cm (11 in) in length with a wingspan of 48 cm (19 in), and an average weight of 100 g (3.5 oz). The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females being 10-20% smaller than males. They possess bright-green upperparts, a pale gray forehead and breast with darker scalloping, and very light-green to yellow underparts. Their remiges are dark blue, and they have a long, tapering tail. The bill is a notable orange color. Vocalizations include a loud and throaty chape(-yee) or quak quaki quak-wi quarr, and screeches skveet.

Monk Parakeets are adaptable birds that originally inhabit temperate to subtropical areas of South America. They are known to build stick nests in trees or on man-made structures, a unique behavior among parrots.

Native to South America, these birds are common in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. They have established feral populations in North America and Europe, mainly in urban areas and regions with climates similar to their native habitat.

Monk Parakeets are gregarious and often breed colonially. They construct large communal nests with separate entrances for each pair. These nests can become quite sizable and may house other species. The birds are known to have helper individuals that assist with feeding the young, a behavior known as kin selection.

The Monk Parakeet's call is a distinctive and throaty chape(-yee) or quak quaki quak-wi quarr, with screeches of skveet. These vocalizations are important for communication within the species.

These parakeets breed in colonies, with nests that can house multiple pairs. Each pair has its own entrance to the communal nest. They lay five to 12 white eggs, which hatch in about 24 days.

The Cliff Parakeet (Myiopsitta luchsi) is similar in appearance but is considered a separate species due to morphological, behavioral, and geographical differences.

Monk Parakeets are known to feed on various seeds, fruits, and vegetation. In their native range, they are sometimes considered agricultural pests due to their feeding habits.

The Monk Parakeet is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. However, in some introduced areas, they are subject to control measures due to concerns about their impact on local ecosystems and agriculture.

18-12-2023 BARCELONA, SPAIN - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)

 The monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus), also known as the monk parrot or Quaker parrot, is a species of true parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is a small, bright-green parrot with a greyish breast and greenish-yellow abdomen. Its average lifespan is 20–30 years. It originates from the temperate to subtropical areas of South America. Self-sustaining feral populations occur in many places, mainly in areas of similar climate in North America and Europe.

24-9-2023 CAMBRILS, TARRAGONA - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)

The monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus), also known as the Quaker parrot, is a species of true parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is a small, bright-green parrot with a greyish breast and greenish-yellow abdomen. Its average lifespan is 20–30 years. It originates from the temperate to subtropical areas of South America. Self-sustaining feral populations occur in many places, mainly in areas of similar climate in North America and Europe.

In its native range, the monk parakeet is very common. In Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, monk parakeets are regarded as major agricultural pests (as noted by Charles Darwin, among others). 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.

Self-sustaining feral populations have been recorded in several U.S. states and various regions of Europe (namely Spain, Portugal, Azores, Madeira, Balearic Islands, Gibraltar, France, Corsica, Malta, Cyprus, Sardinia, Italy, Greece, Romania, Channel Islands, Great Britain, Ireland, and Belgium), as well as in British Columbia, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Israel, Bermuda, Bahamas, the United States, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, Easter Island, South Korea, Singapore, and Japan. As it is an open-woodlands species, it adapts readily to urban areas.

In areas where they have been introduced, some fear they will harm crops and native species, while others dispute evidence of harm caused by feral colonies, and oppose exterminating these birds, but local bans and eradication programs exist in some areas of the U.S. Outside the U.S., introduced populations do not appear to raise similar controversy, presumably because of smaller numbers of birds, or because their settlement in urban areas does not pose a threat to agricultural production. The U.K. appears to have changed its view on its feral populations and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is planning to remove monk parakeets from the wild, as it believes that they threaten local wildlife and crops. 

18-3-2022 CADIZ, ANDALUCIA - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/19349-Myiopsitta-monachus

10-10-2021 EL PRAT, BARCELONA - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)

14-5-2019 MIRO PARQUE, BARCELONA - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)

5-12-2018 PUCOL, VALENCIA - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)

20-3-2018 RETIRO PARQUE, MADRID - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)

31-1-2018 TURIA GARDENS, VALENCIA - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)

2-12-2016 BARCELONA - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)

The Monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) is a small species of true parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is native to the temperate to subtropical areas of Argentina and the surrounding countries in South America. Self-sustaining feral populations occur in many places, mainly in North America and Europe; there they live in urban areas and pose a risk to crops and even native bird species.

The Monk parakeet has bright-green upperparts. The forehead and breast are pale gray with darker scalloping and the rest of the underparts are very light-green to yellow. The remiges are dark blue, and the tail is long and tapering. The bill is orange in color.

Monk parakeets are found in Argentina and the surrounding countries in South America. Self-sustaining feral populations have been recorded in several U.S. states and various regions of Europe. They live in semi-arid savannas, and woodlands and are well-adapted to urban areas.

Monk parakeets are highly gregarious birds that live and nest in colonies. They are diurnal and spend most of the day foraging and preening each other. To get their food these energetic birds climb among branches using their beaks or may drop to the ground to pick seeds or fallen berries. At dusk, they come back to their communal roost site to sleep. Monk parakeets are very noisy. Their call is a loud and throaty 'chape(-yee)' or 'quak quaki quak-wi quarr' and they also use 'skveet' screeches.

Monk parakeets are monogamous and form strong long-lasting pair bonds. They breed between October and February. These birds build a stick nest, in a tree or on a man-made structure, rather than using a hole in a tree. They often breed colonially, building a single large nest with separate entrances for each pair. Females lay 5 to 12 white eggs which usually hatch in about 24 days. The chicks are altricial; they hatch blind and are covered in yellowish down. Both parents feed their young until they are ready to leave the nest which usually occurs at 40-50 days after hatching. Reproductive maturity is reached when young birds are 2 years old.

Population size

20 Mlnlnn

Life Span

20-30 years

Weight

90-120

goz

g oz 

Length

29

cminch

cm inch 

Wingspan

48

cminch

cm inch 

23-8-2016 EL RITIRO PARK, MADRID - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)

The Monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) is a small species of true parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is native to the temperate to subtropical areas of Argentina and the surrounding countries in South America. Self-sustaining feral populations occur in many places, mainly in North America and Europe; there they live in urban areas and pose a risk to crops and even native bird species.

The Monk parakeet has bright-green upperparts. The forehead and breast are pale gray with darker scalloping and the rest of the underparts are very light-green to yellow. The remiges are dark blue, and the tail is long and tapering. The bill is orange in color.

Monk parakeets are found in Argentina and the surrounding countries in South America. Self-sustaining feral populations have been recorded in several U.S. states and various regions of Europe. They live in semi-arid savannas, and woodlands and are well-adapted to urban areas.

Monk parakeets are highly gregarious birds that live and nest in colonies. They are diurnal and spend most of the day foraging and preening each other. To get their food these energetic birds climb among branches using their beaks or may drop to the ground to pick seeds or fallen berries. At dusk, they come back to their communal roost site to sleep. Monk parakeets are very noisy. Their call is a loud and throaty 'chape(-yee)' or 'quak quaki quak-wi quarr' and they also use 'skveet' screeches.

Monk parakeets are monogamous and form strong long-lasting pair bonds. They breed between October and February. These birds build a stick nest, in a tree or on a man-made structure, rather than using a hole in a tree. They often breed colonially, building a single large nest with separate entrances for each pair. Females lay 5 to 12 white eggs which usually hatch in about 24 days. The chicks are altricial; they hatch blind and are covered in yellowish down. Both parents feed their young until they are ready to leave the nest which usually occurs at 40-50 days after hatching. Reproductive maturity is reached when young birds are 2 years old.

Monk parakeets are widespread and abundant throughout their range. They are not considered threatened, however, in some areas, these birds are often persecuted as an agricultural pest.

According to the All About Birds resource, the total breeding population size of the Monk parakeet is 20 million birds. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, and their numbers today are increasing.

20-2-2015 TURIA GARDENS, VALENCIA - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)

The monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus), also known as the monk parrot or Quaker parrot, is a species of true parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is a small, bright-green parrot with a greyish breast and greenish-yellow abdomen. Its average lifespan is 20–30 years. It originates from the temperate to subtropical areas of South America. Self-sustaining feral populations occur in many places, mainly in areas of similar climate in North America and Europe.

The nominate subspecies of this parakeet is 29 cm (11 in) long on average, with a 48-centimetre (19 in) wingspan, and weighs 100 g (3.5 oz). Females tend to be 10–20% smaller, but can only be reliably sexed by DNA or feather testing. It has bright-green upperparts. The forehead and breast are pale gray with darker scalloping and the rest of the underparts are very light-green to yellow. The remiges are dark blue, and the tail is long and tapering. The bill is orange. The call is a loud and throaty chape(-yee) or quak quaki quak-wi quarr, and screeches skveet.

Domestic breeds in colors other than the natural plumage have been produced. These include birds with white, blue, and yellow in place of green. As such coloration provides less camouflage, feral birds are usually of wild-type coloration.

The monk parakeet and the cliff parrot are the only two parrot species that build a stick nest, in a tree or on a man-made structure, rather than using a hole in a tree. The monk parrot is a gregarious species which often breeds colonially, building a single large nest with separate entrances for each pair. In the wild, the colonies can become quite large, with pairs occupying separate "apartments" in composite nests that can reach the size of a small automobile. These nests can attract many other tenants, including birds of prey such as the spot-winged falconet (Spiziapteryx circumcincta), ducks such as the yellow-billed teal (Anas flavirostris), and even mammals. Their five to 12 white eggs hatch in about 24 days.

Unusually for a parrot, monk parakeet pairs occasionally have helper individuals, often grown offspring, which assist with feeding the young. 

The lifespans of monk parakeets have been given as 20-30 years; the former might refer to typical lifespans in captivity and/or in the wild, while the latter is in the range of maximum lifespans recorded for parakeets.

Monk parakeets probably have individual voice prints that allow them to recognize each other, independently from the used call type.

In its native range, the monk parakeet is very common. In Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, monk parakeets are regarded as major agricultural pests (as noted by Charles Darwin, among others). 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.

Self-sustaining feral populations have been recorded in several U.S. states and various regions of Europe (namely Spain, Portugal, Azores, Madeira, Balearic Islands, Gibraltar, France, Corsica, Malta, Cyprus, Sardinia, Italy, Greece, Romania, Channel Islands, Great Britain, Ireland, and Belgium), as well as in British Columbia, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Germany,Puerto Rico, Easter Island, South Korea, Singapore, and Japan. As it is an open-woodlands species, it adapts readily to urban areas.

In areas where they have been introduced, some fear they will harm crops and native species, while others dispute evidence of harm caused by feral colonies, and oppose exterminating these birds, but local bans and eradication programs exist in some areas of the U.S. Outside the U.S., introduced populations do not appear to raise similar controversy, presumably because of smaller numbers of birds, or because their settlement in urban areas does not pose a threat to agricultural production. The U.K. appears to have changed its view on its feral populations and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is planning to remove monk parakeets from the wild, as it believes that they threaten local wildlife and crops.

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 Spain, monk parakeets can be seen in Madrid, Barcelona, Cadiz, Seville, Torremolinos, Málaga, Nerja, Valencia, Tarragona, Roquetas de Mar (Andalusia), Zaragoza, the Canary Islands, and Majorca in the Balearic Islands. They were first seen around 1975. In Madrid, they especially frequent the Ciudad Universitaria (Complutense University campus) and Casa de Campo park. They are a common sight in Barcelona parks, often as numerous as pigeons. They form substantial colonies in Parc de la Ciutadella, Parc de la Barceloneta, and in smaller city parks such as Jardins Josep Trueta in Poble Nou, with a colony as far north as Empuriabrava. They are more frequent in watered urban parks with grass areas and palm trees, near to a river or the sea. The monk parakeet, as an invasive species, has become a problem to local fauna such as pigeons and sparrows, but not yet so harmful to magpies. Parakeets have also caused trouble to agriculture near the cities. Spain has outlawed the possession, selling, breeding, and trafficking of monk parakeets since 2013. Madrid has the greatest population of monk parakeets in Europe, with 10,800 parakeets as of June 2015. As of 2015, the estimated population of monk parakeets in Barcelona was 6,248.

In Greece, monk parakeets have established breeding colonies in the National Garden, Athens.

The United Kingdom population in 2011 is believed to be around 150, in the Home Counties region. 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.

Populations in Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, and Denmark were once reported, but these seem to have been extirpated. Other populations in the U.K., France, and the Netherlands have also similarly declined into extirpation.

16-8-2015 EL VERGER, ALICANTE - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)

The monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus), also known as the monk parrot or Quaker parrot, is a species of true parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is a small, bright-green parrot with a greyish breast and greenish-yellow abdomen. Its average lifespan is 20–30 years. It originates from the temperate to subtropical areas of South America. Self-sustaining feral populations occur in many places, mainly in areas of similar climate in North America and Europe.

The nominate subspecies of this parakeet is 29 cm (11 in) long on average, with a 48-centimetre (19 in) wingspan, and weighs 100 g (3.5 oz). Females tend to be 10–20% smaller, but can only be reliably sexed by DNA or feather testing. It has bright-green upperparts. The forehead and breast are pale gray with darker scalloping and the rest of the underparts are very light-green to yellow. The remiges are dark blue, and the tail is long and tapering. The bill is orange. The call is a loud and throaty chape(-yee) or quak quaki quak-wi quarr, and screeches skveet.

Domestic breeds in colors other than the natural plumage have been produced. These include birds with white, blue, and yellow in place of green. As such coloration provides less camouflage, feral birds are usually of wild-type coloration.

16-1-2015 CARTAJENA, MURCIA - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)