Parrots in the City: One Bird's Struggle for a Place on the Planet

Less than a century after the only parrot exclusively native to the United States became extinct, another parrot has become established in North America. Unlike cavity-breeding non-native species, the Monk or Quaker parrot isn't crowding out songbirds, woodpeckers, or scissor-tailed flycatchers. These brave little birds prefer habitat modified for human use in ways most native species cannot survive. Neither do these urban dwellers threaten rural agriculture. In fact, these nest-building parrots may actually be recreating habitat in utility easements that have been rendered uninhabitable to most wildlife.

As cavity-breeding habitat disappears worldwide, will nest-building parrots be allowed to stay in our cities?