A Nest -Building Parrot* 



By MARY B. SHERMAN, Ogdensburg, N. Y. 



IN MAY, 1 920, two Parrots escaped from their cage. They soon made 

 their way to my garden, which has been a bird sanctuary for seventy 

 years, and throughout the summer spent most of their time in this neigh- 

 borhood. They seemed to find plenty of food in nearby chicken-yards, and 

 they also fed on the tender green shoots of the trees and delighted in apples 

 as soon as thev were formed. 



NEST OF THE MONK PARRAKEET 

 Built in Ogdensburg, N. Y. 



Of course, we tried to feed them, but for some time they were very shy. 

 As the weather grew cooler they learned where to find food and came daily to 

 window-sills and piazzas where it was left for them. 



In July, they began building a nest. The first one was made of twigs very 

 loosely woven, well camouflaged, as the green leaves were left on the twigs. 

 It was shaped like a Robin's nest and placed on a small branch in a tall maple, 

 about a half a block from my home. It seemed to be completed and I saw 

 one of the Parrots sitting in it, when a strong wind brought it to the ground. 



*A detailed description of one of the birds, still living, whose interesting history is given in this article, 

 shows it to be the Gray-breasted or Monk Parrakeet (Myiopsitta monacha) of southern Brazil to Uru- 

 guay, a species noteworthy for communal nest-building habits. — Ed. 



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