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The Monk Parakeet in Illinois: 
New Views of Alarm 
by GARY E. LARSON 
Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife 
Springfield, Illinois 
The Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) has survived northern Illinois 
winters, has reproduced here successfully, and may well be here to stay. 
Also called the Quaker, or Gray-headed Parakeet, the “Monk” is native 
to the subtropical to temperate regions of South America. Argentina, Uru- 
guay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil and Bolivia, between 20 and 48 
degrees south latitude, fall within the range of this species. Since much 
of the United States, and all of Illinois, lie between 20 and 48 north latitude, 
this bird has a chance here if it can find a niche. 
The monk—at 11 to 12 inches long—is larger than the cage parakeets 
we usually see. The size and shape are much like a mourning dove. 
Predominant color of both sexes is moss green, but a closer look reveals 
royal blue wing primaries and a soft gray forehead, chin, and breast. 
This attractive parakeet now’s being seen in bird feeders and fruit 
trees from Florida to Connecticut, as well as in the midwestern cities of 
Columbus, Detroit; Milwaukee, Indianapolis, and Chicago. Several thousand 
monk parakeets were imported as cage pets over the past few years. Like 
many other cage birds, some were released or escaped. The monk has 
been hardy enough to survive. 
When one or more escape, they immediately begin nest building. The 
nest is communal, and built by both males and females. It is made of 
sticks and has a separate entrance hole and compartment for each pair. The 
nest resembles a squirrel nest in size and shape, but there are seldom leaves 
in it. The nest is used year around as a dormitory and for reproductive ac- 
tivity as well. 
In South America, reproduction lasts from mid-November through the 
end of February; in our country this corresponds roughly to mid-May 
through August. Each female lays four to five dull, white eggs. The young 
are fed by both parents until they are fledged at about one month. They are 
fully grown and active upon emergence from the nest. One nest in Hinsdale, 
Illinois, containing four adults, fledged three young in July, 1973. A nest in 
Long Island, New York, destroyed in early summer, contained six adults 
and nineteen young. 
In their native range, monk parakeets are considered serious crop pests. 
They travel in flocks as far as 10 miles to feed on grain crops such as 
corn, sorghum, sunflower and millet. In this country they have been seen 
eating apples, peaches, pears, cherries and, in the spring, tree buds. With 
this wide variety of food available in summer and bird feeders and feedlots 
in winter, there seems to be a niche for an adaptable and aggressive bird 
like the monk parakeet. 
Newspaper, radio and television publicity has triggered some 30 reports 
of monk sightings in Illinois. Three sightings have been confirmed: two 
birds near. Carlock, two near Lockport and seven in Hinsdale. The sighting 
of a single bird across the river in Hannibal, Missouri is also verified. Sev- 
eral of the other reports may be factual too, but they are hard to confirm. 
