Photos by Steven
Several local birdwatchers received a tip earlier last week about a monk parakeet in Tompkins Square Park.
The search party found the bird late in the afternoon near the chess tables. It later perched on a light pole at Avenue A and Sixth Street, where this photo was taken.
This isn't believed to be an escaped pet. Monk parakeets have established wild colonies around New York City, including a well-known group living in the Gothic Arch at Green-Wood Cemetery.
Hawk's snack?
ReplyDeletehope they’re safe but comforting to know they do live outside
ReplyDeletecan they survive a cold winter?
The colonies build their multi-bird nests around transformers, so are quite comfortable.
DeleteThere have been colonies of wild monk parakeets since about the 60s, when a shipment of tropical birds escaped. One of the main colonies is in Brooklyn, near the Brooklyn museum: https://brooklynparrots.com/category/wild-parrots-in-brooklyn/
ReplyDeletepretty little thing
ReplyDeleteThis is good to know! A monk parakeet came up on my Merlin app the other day: At Miracle Garden on third Street between A and B.
ReplyDeleteThere’s big colonies of monk parakeets in Astoria. They like nesting in the train trestles.
ReplyDelete