Flock of wild parrots

[Oregon Blues]

Newcastle disease was introduced into the United States by a parrot smuggled across the border from Mexico.

So yes, there is good reason for it being illegal to smuggle birds across the border.

 

[kareninthesun]

So the carrier of Newcastle which was smuggled from Mexico, was it's origins elsewhere? Birds flock to/from the border all the time, so it must have been far enough away where this species of parrot does not migrate or roam.

 

[hcppam]

Quote:
I lived in Redlands CA. for 30 years, we had 2 or 3 flocks or parrots that flew around, if they have water around and grasses thy can survive it's the hawks they have to worry about. besides they can fly, so they could make they're way back. Animal control will kill them, as they are non native birds and possible disease.

 

[kareninthesun]

Wow, I don't know what phone system these birds are using to call their buddies over, but this flock has merged with another of red headed Mexican parrots. I didn't know they could get along. Counted up to 24 of them flying off, making noise and coming back. Think it hysterically funny particularly since my teen son HATES parrots, doesn't care for ours at all. Ours is a yellow headed Amazon, about 7 years old, whom was raised from an egg. She doesn't like males in general except for her original owner, so the feeling is mutual. I used to keep her (Sophia) cage next to the living room window so she'd have an outside view whenever we weren't home and she'd have to be caged. Since the median temp through the year is 74 degrees, the windows are nearly always opened. We have nests of myna birds that come every year and set up housekeeping in the tree next to the window. For a few generations, these myna birds have added extra sounds from Sophia to their mix, inclucing ringing of phones, and parrot sounds in general. My son's bedroom window is next to this window, adding more fun for him. I've since moved Sophia to the family room and the window on the opposit side of the house, but that just peaks the interest of the mynas.....fast forward. Sophia and Jim (the cockatiel) cage side by side. Jim doesn't talk, but every sound and whistle Sophia makes, he duplicates. I give them lots of caged time outside also. Add myna sounds to this mix, and parrots doing fly overs, is it no wonder that they don't migrate over to this area?

BTW, I'm pretty sure they are feral, seems to me that if they were not, the numbers would go down since escapees, even smart ones, although they are as smart as three year old kiddoes may be able to short-term/good weather find food, I would think that over the longer course, since their social skills don't include preditor intervention, or making nice with flocks, they'd be intimidated (i'm just guessing on this). That being said though, when I put their cages outside, Sophia loves to interact with the chickens, sometimes beak to beak, but Jim wants absolutely nothing to do with any other flocked critter.

I keep telling my son that I'm thankful he doesn't hold this attitude towards snakes. Rather have flocks of parrots than those legless things!

 

[Time-Out]

Quote:
I thought ringnecks were in UMMM India.

I told you no-one believes it lol

Here are some links for your perusal.
Listed as a British garden bird: http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/ring-necked_parakeet.htm
A nice article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/surrey/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8286000/8286707.stm
A not-so-nice article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/oct/12/ring-necked-parakeet-cull

Karen, it looks like they're there to stay.

 

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Brooklyn in da house! I rarely see the quakers, and they are very wary of people. The only time I can get them to my feeder is in the winter with snow on the ground and food scarce. The phone company has dismantled most of the nests that were in telephone poles.


Quote:
The United States has no native parrot species ever since the Carolina Conure was killed to extinction. The feral parrots of the U.S. are just filling the niche left open because of our extermination of the Carolina Conure.

I would really like to go to Brooklyn New York someday, just to see the wild quaker parrots. I would feed them all day long if they let me.