Monk parakeet

Name: Myiopsitta monachus
Location found: City park
Habitat: warm climates.

An agricultural pest in its native South American range, the Monk Parakeet was first brought to the U.S. as a cage bird. They were so popular that over 60,000 were imported between 1969 and 1972. By the 1980's it had already been released in many parts of the country and had established small breeding colonies.

Karl Netzhammer