Monk Parakeets - USDA

U.S. Department of AgricultureAnimal & Plant Health Inspection ServiceWildlife ServicesNovember 2016Monk ParakeetsWildlife Damage ManagementTechnical SeriesMichael L. AverySupervisory Research Wildlife BiologistUSDA-APHIS-Wildlife ServicesNational Wildlife Research CenterGainesville, FloridaJames R. LindsayPrincipal Environmental SpecialistFlorida Power & Light CompanyJuno Beach, FloridaFigure 1. Monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus monachus) is an invasive species in the United States. Thespecies became established through accidental andpurposeful introductions.Human-Wildlife ConflictsQuick LinksHuman-Wildlife Conflicts1Damage Identification2Management Methods3Economics5Species Overview5Legal Status8Glossary & Key Words9Resources10Appendix11Since their introduction to the UnitedStates in the 1960s, monk parakeets(Myiopsitta monachus) have thrived(Figure 1). Until recently, annual ChristmasBird Count data have shown thepopulation to be increasing exponentially.In the U.S., monk parakeets are an urbanand suburban species with few naturalpredators, diseases or other factorslimiting their population growth. Theyexploit backyard bird feeders and nonnative ornamental plants for food.Monk parakeets often construct nests onman-made structures, such as electricutility facilities and cell phone towers.Because the birds build and maintainnests throughout the year, management ofparakeet populations has become animportant issue for utility companies inseveral States. Currently, nest removal andtrapping are the primary methods formanaging parakeet damage, Reproductivecontrol through contraception showspromise for long-term, nonlethalpopulation management.

Page 2Figure 2. Monk parakeets at a nest in an electric utility substation in southFlorida.StructuresThe main conflict associated with monk parakeets in theU.S. is their impact on electric utility facilities due to thebirds’ nest-building behavior and their habit of constructingnests on electric utility substations, distribution poles, andtransmission line towers (Figure 2). In south Florida, 60%of the monk parakeet nests in one study were located onenergized electric utility equipment, 20% on other manmade structures, and 20% in trees. A given substation canhost more than 30 parakeet nests, with estimatedparakeet populations greater than 100 birds per site. Thenumber of substations with parakeet nests in south Floridaincreased from 38 in 2001 to 62 in 2007. The highvoltage, energized environment around substations makesthe removal of nests very dangerous unless the substationis taken offline an unlikely occurrence given theassociated expense and disruption of service to the localcommunity.The economic impacts due to monk parakeets includedecreased electric reliability, damage to equipment, lostrevenue from power outages, and increased costsassociated with nest removal and repair of damagedstructures. The frequency of power outages due toparakeet nests increases during wet weather. Outagesresult from nesting material completing a circuit betweentwo energized components, or between an energized partWDM Technical Series—Monk ParakeetsFigure 3. Monk parakeets feeding in a longan orchard in south Florida.and a grounded part of electrical equipment. The nest itselfcan get too large and complete an electric circuit, orindividual parakeets carrying nest material can cause ashort circuit. Resulting fires can damage transformers andother utility equipment. Damage management options atelectric utility facilities vary with the type of facility. Anymanagement actions associated with electric utilityfacilities should be carried out by trained utility employeesor their authorized agents.LandscapesIn south Florida, monk parakeets and other birds areresponsible for damage to tropical fruit crops, such aslongans and mangos (Figure 3).Damage IdentificationMonk parakeets are unique among parrots as they usesticks and twigs to construct bulky nests which can housemultiple nesting chambers. Parakeets in south Floridabuild nests principally on man-made structures, such asstadium light poles, cell towers, and electric utilityfacilities.

U.S. Department of AgriculturePage 3Management MethodsElectric utility companies remove parakeet nests from theirstructures to maintain service reliability. The birds are alsosometimes removed with long-handled nets or live traps.Combining the removal of nests with the removal of birdsprovides longer-term relief than either approach alone.Current management methods have been ineffective atpreventing parakeets from nesting on substations,distribution poles or transmission towers.Habitat ModificationNesting parakeets in south Florida demonstrate distinctpreferences for certain types of transmission towerdesigns. In 2006, 86% of monk parakeet nests ontransmission lines were on the H-frame concrete towerscompared to less than 1% built on H-frame tubular towers.The tubular construction creates few flat surfaces andangles thereby greatly reducing preferred nestingsubstrates. New construction of transmission lines shouldincorporate such findings and adopt designs shown to beunattractive to parakeets. On existing structures,management actions are limited to nest removal by utilitycompany crews (Figure 4).Nest removal is the most common method used tomanage parakeet problems on utility structures. Thisprovides only short-term relief, however, becauseparakeets tend to rebuild their nests immediately (Figure5). On distribution poles, the most effective control methodis nest removal, preceded by trapping and euthanizing thenesting birds. Implementation of this managementapproach reduced the number of parakeet nests ondistribution poles in south Florida from 349 in 2001 to142 in 2006.Another management approach is to provide parakeetswith alternative nest platforms adjacent to distributionpoles to encourage them to switch nesting locations. Thisapproach would not be cost-effective or practical on a largescale, but it has been applied with limited success toaddress persistent, isolated problems at specific locations.Figure 4. At electric utility substations, such as this A-frame structure insouth Florida, monk parakeet nests are an ongoing maintenance concern.Figure 5. Removal of monk parakeet nests from electric utility distributionpoles is a short-term solution as birds quickly rebuild.

Page 4WDM Technical Series—Monk ParakeetsRepellentsVarious audio, chemical, and visual deterrents have beentested at substations to deter parakeet nesting, but nonehas proved effective.ToxicantsNone are registered.ShootingFigure 6. Special long-handled nets have been developed for parakeetremoval at nests.The vast majority of monk parakeets in the U.S. nest, feed,and fly in populated areas which severely restricts the useof firearms to reduce populations. When consideringfirearm use, check local firearm laws and regulations.TrappingExclusionNo practical means exist for excluding monk parakeetsfrom nesting on distribution poles or in substations.Electric track or other shock devices have not beenevaluated for this use. On transmission line towers,installation of hard plastic anti-perching cones can besomewhat effective. Faulty installation, however, cancreate excellent nesting opportunities for parakeets. Ondistribution poles, parakeets usually start their nests byanchoring sticks on the brackets which attachtransformers and capacitor banks to the pole. Monkparakeets may be discouraged from nesting on distributionpoles by physically blocking their access to the utility wiresin close proximity to the pole. The birds sit on these wireswhen bringing in nest material. Thus, they would beprevented from gaining access to the bracket attachmentsites where they prefer to initiate their nests. The feasibilityof applying this approach is unknown.Trapping at the nest, with a long-handled net (Figure 6), ismost effective after dark when the birds are less likely todisperse. Birds that are trapped can be humanelyeuthanized using carbon dioxide gas.At substations, parakeets can be captured using small,baited cage traps. In south Florida, one utility companyremoved hundreds of birds at several substations by hiringa private contractor to implement this approach.Scare DevicesAt an electric utility substation in south Florida, monkparakeets responded to red laser light by leaving the nestcolony, but the effect was not permanent. In the 4-daytrial, laser dispersal occurred nightly, but the birds returnedthe next day.Figures 7 (left) and 8. Remotely triggered spring-loaded trap installed atmonk parakeet feeding platform. After the observer confirms non-targetspecies are not present, the trap is activated and parakeets are captured.

Page 5U.S. Department of AgricultureFertility ControlDisposalThe oral contraceptive diazacon has shown promise as away to reduce parakeet populations and subsequent nestsites. In a 2-year study in south Florida, the number ofmonk parakeet eggs and chicks decreased 68% at 100nest sites where birds fed on diazacon-treated bait,compared to nest sites where birds did not feed ondiazacon-treated bait. The use of fertility control is a longterm strategy. For now, this method remains experimentalas diazacon is not registered with the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency.Check your local and state regulations regarding carcassdisposal.HandlingMonk parakeets have strong, sharp beaks and will inflictpainful bites if handled carelessly. Stout gloves arerecommended.RelocationRelocation is the movement of an animal from one locationwithin its home range to another. No data exist to supportrelocation as an effective management strategy. Manystates prohibit the release of non-native species; severalstates prohibit possession, transport, sale or release ofmonk parakeets.TranslocationTranslocation is the movement of an animal to a newlocation outside of its home range. Moving an invasivespecies such as the monk parakeet to a new area createsnew problems. This is not an effective, practicalmanagement method and is prohibited in many states.EuthanasiaThe American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)approves the use of carbon dioxide gas for euthanizingmonk parakeets. AVMA also approves the use of cervicaldislocation, if performed by “well-trained personnel whoare regularly monitored to ensure proficiency.”EconomicsMonk parakeets build and maintain their nests year-round,resulting in an ongoing maintenance problem for utilitycompanies. Utility companies monitor their systems anddetermine when it is most appropriate to remove nests toprevent costly service interruptions. In south Florida, nestremoval was estimated to cost 415/nest to 1500/nest,depending on the specific situation. From 2003 to 2007,the removal of 3,126 nests was estimated to cost 1.3 to 4.7 million. Monk parakeets nest seasonally, and nestremovals can often be timed to avoid accidentallydestroying eggs or nestlings.Species OverviewIdentificationThe subspecies of monk parakeet that exists in the U.S. isMyiopsitta monachus monachus.Physical DescriptionThe monk parakeet, also known as Quaker parakeet, is amedium-sized parrot (3 to 4 ounces body mass,approximately 11 inches total length). On average, adultmales are slightly larger than adult females except duringthe breeding season when females slightly increase theirbody mass. Adult males and females are identical inplumage. The plumage is green on the back and tail, andgrayish on the underside. The wings are dull green with theouter wing feathers blue. The gray head and breast of thespecies distinguishes it from other parrots in NorthAmerica. The tail is long and graduated, and the bill is thickand yellowish brown with a brownish tip. Juvenilesresemble adults with the exception that the feathers on theforehead of juveniles are darker (slate gray) than those ofadults (gray-white).