Monk Parakeet

Monk Parakeet

Quaker parrot, Quaker parakeet, Cliff parakeet, Grey-breasted parakeet

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Myiopsitta monachus
Population size
20 Mlnlnn
Life Span
20-30 years
Weight
90-120
3.2-4.2
goz
g oz 
Length
29
11
cminch
cm inch 
Wingspan
48
19
cminch
cm inch 

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.

Di

Diurnal

He

Herbivore

Gr

Granivore

Ar

Arboreal

Al

Altricial

Te

Terrestrial

Ov

Oviparous

Mo

Monogamy

Fl

Flocking

Co

Colonial

Hi

Highly social

No

Not a migrant

Fe

Feral

Wi

Wild

Do

Domesticated

M

starts with

Ch

Chatterboxes
(collection)

Appearance

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.

Video

Distribution

Geography

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 Parakeet habitat map

Climate zones

Monk Parakeet habitat map
Monk Parakeet
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Habits and Lifestyle

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.

Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

Monk parakeets are herbivores (granivores). They mainly eat seeds of various plants and will also consume fruits, berries, leaf buds, blossoms, nuts, and insects.

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
INCUBATION PERIOD
24 days
INDEPENDENT AGE
40-50 days
FEMALE NAME
hen
MALE NAME
cock
BABY NAME
chick
web.animal_clutch_size
5-12 eggs

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

Population threats

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.

Population number

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.

Fun Facts for Kids

  • The genus name of the Monk parakeet combines the Ancient Greek 'mus, muos' meaning 'mouse' and the New Latin 'psitta' meaning 'parrot', alluding to the mouse-grey face and underparts. The specific epithet 'monachus' comes from Late Latin and means a "monk".
  • The Monk parakeet is the only parrot that builds a stick nest instead of using tree cavities.
  • Unusually for a parrot, Monk parakeet pairs occasionally have helper individuals, often grown offspring, which assist with feeding the chicks.
  • In the wild, Monk parakeets may nest in such large colonies with pairs occupying separate "apartments" in 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, ducks such as the yellow-billed teal, and even mammals.
  • Monk parakeets are highly intelligent, social birds. When kept in captivity they can learn to mimic human speech.

Coloring Pages

References

1. Monk Parakeet on Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monk_parakeet
2. Monk Parakeet on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/45427277/132189848
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/705765

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