The Quaker Parrot is more formally known as the Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) and is native to the temperate areas of Brazil, and Argentina. They average a twenty nine centimeter length with a forty eight centimeter wingspan and an average weight of one hundred grams with females usually 10%-20% smaller than there male counterparts.
Quaker Parrots are usually bright green with a grey to white breast. Its flight feathers are a brilliant dark blue that are very contrasted by its green upper body. They have a curved orange beak which is very common among parrots.
Quaker parrots are very intelligent birds. Like most parrots Quaker Parrots are able to ‘imitate’ human speech and when kept as pets they will often times develop very large vocabularies.
The Quaker Parrot was introduced to the United States from South America in the late 1960’s to be sold as pets, many of these escaped into the wild or were purposefully released by bored pet owners. By the year 1995 it had colonized 15 states and holds a population in Florida believed to be 100,000 birds. Some debate, primarily in the United States, that feral Quaker parrots and harmful to crops and resident species, this however is an ongoing debate with few conclusive answers. If damage did occur it would most likely be light.
Because of there intelligence and rather small stature Quaker Parrots make great small cage pets. They are also very popular as pets so more than likely your local pet store will have some for a reasonable price.
Some interesting facts about Quaker Parrots:
- Quaker parrots are very social sometimes building colonies with one large nest. These nests can reach the size of a small car and are made almost entirely of sticks.
- Quaker parrot colonies have been found as far north as New York City, Chicago, and Rhode Island, but are usually isolated to the urban enclaves of these areas.
- The Quaker Parrot Lifespan is 15-30 years respectively, some say 15-25 years while others say 20-30 years, it’s a wonder if a standard lifespan will ever be named.
- Due to the spread of the feral populations of Quaker parrots through the spread of demand for them as pets, they can now be found wild in Europe, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Canary Islands and Japan.
- The Quaker Parrot is the only parrot that builds its nest out of sticks on tree or human structures instead of a hole in a tree.
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