What's the origin of the wild parrots in southern CA?

[Arrendajo]

@Colibri

As noted in Fear Itself’s link, the Carolina Parakeet once occurred in the southeastern US (ranging occasionally north to New York) but was hunted to extinction by the 1920s.

The Thick-billed Parrot once ranged into the southwestern US but has become locally extinct there while surviving in Mexico. Unsuccessful efforts have been made to reintroduce it.

TheRed-crowned Amazon may sometimes occur naturally in south Texas as strays from Mexico.

Many parrots can tolerate mild temperate conditions, and the Monk or Quaker Parakeet, originally from Argentina, has established feral populations as far north as Massachusetts and Chicago.

I used to see Quaker Parakeets in Seattle.

[zbuzz]

@Johnny_L.A

I miss the wild parrots.

Said the guy who clearly never had those green squawking motherfuckers roost within 100 feet of his window.

[Colibri]

@Johnny_L.A

ISTR reading an article or seeing a video several years ago, about parrots thriving in areas where there are harsh Winters. Toronto comes to mind, but I can’t even remember the format I saw these birds in.

Monk Parakeets in the snow in Brooklyn NY.

[Smapti]

@zbuzz

Said the guy who clearly never had those green squawking motherfuckers roost within 100 feet of his window.

As I mentioned in the OP, they’d congregate in the palm trees and power lines right outside my home and squawk up a storm at sunrise and sunset. Much like the roar of jet planes flying right overhead at low altitude on their way to/from Lindbergh Field, it’s just part of the background noise of life in OB. You don’t really think about it, but when you end up living somewhere else, its absence is noticeable.

[DrDeth]

@Fear_Itself

Apparentlynot any more:

The last ones likely succumbed to disease, and also they may have been one of those species that simply will not breed unless there are thousands around. The Passenger Pigeon was one of them.

[snfaulkner]

@John_Mace

Damn, there are parrots everywhere. It’s a conspiracy, I think…

I KNOW they conspire to land in my yard at the ass crack of dawn when I am most hung over. There is no way they aren’t doing it on purpose each and every time. Fuckers.! My wife is a hardcore 4th generation birder and even SHE hates the fuckers. So damn loud, so damn early.

[LSLGuy]

@snfaulkner

I KNOW they conspire to land in my yard at the ass crack of dawn when I am most hung over. … So damn loud, so damn early.

The solution is obvious. Start drinking earlier so as to pass out around 5pm instead of 1 am.

So now you’ll wake up at 2am, eat/drink your favorite hangover cure and be fully recovered by daybreak when the birds start their day.

You win by drinking earlier and avoiding being annoyed by the birds. It’s a twofer!

[snfaulkner]

@LSLGuy

The solution is obvious. Start drinking earlier so as to pass out around 5pm instead of 1 am.

So now you’ll wake up at 2am, eat/drink your favorite hangover cure and be fully recovered by daybreak when the birds start their day.

You win by drinking earlier and avoiding being annoyed by the birds. It’s a twofer!

Well I work 2nd shift (2pm-10pm), so I can’t start drinkin until 9ish pm. And I’m always up until like 4am anyway. On my day’s off, I’ll sometimes be going to bed just as they start their hideous squawking. Hideous hideous squawking. It’s not like its just a loud sing songy bird by any means. Tho that is also annoying, it isn’t as deathwishy.

No, my only choice is to take over the Evil Geniuses For A Better Tomorrow and use their Orbital Mind Control Lasers to fry their little birdy brainies.

[Washoe]

@kaylasdad99

I’m not angry, just very disappointed. I want both of you to go to your rooms and think about what you’ve done.

You’re acting in locus parrotis—stop making a psittacine.

[Laggard]

I hear Yellow-chevroned parakeets daily here in Hollywood.

[Lemur866]

@Colibri

As noted in Fear Itself’s link, the Carolina Parakeet once occurred in the southeastern US (ranging occasionally north to New York) but was hunted to extinction by the 1920s.

The Thick-billed Parrot once ranged into the southwestern US but has become locally extinct there while surviving in Mexico. Unsuccessful efforts have been made to reintroduce it.

TheRed-crowned Amazon may sometimes occur naturally in south Texas as strays from Mexico.

Many parrots can tolerate mild temperate conditions, and the Monk or Quaker Parakeet, originally from Argentina, has established feral populations as far north as Massachusetts and Chicago.

It seems odd to me that so many species of parrots can live and breed in California, yet there there no native species of parrot, despite populations just a little bit south in Mexico.

I’m wondering if the parrots are relying on water from humans, or some other human change to the environment, and back 200 years ago they wouldn’t have been able to survive.

Or maybe it’s one of those things where rare 50 or 100 year weather events will wipe out the species. Lots of non-native trees thrive in Florida, then along comes a big hurricane and the trees get flattened.

[Colibri]

@Lemur866

It seems odd to me that so many species of parrots can live and breed in California, yet there there no native species of parrot, despite populations just a little bit south in Mexico.

I’m wondering if the parrots are relying on water from humans, or some other human change to the environment, and back 200 years ago they wouldn’t have been able to survive.

Or maybe it’s one of those things where rare 50 or 100 year weather events will wipe out the species. Lots of non-native trees thrive in Florida, then along comes a big hurricane and the trees get flattened.

All parrots with the exception of Monk Parakeets nest in cavities, either tree holes or sometimes ones in rock or soil. I would expect that a stronger limiting factor in southern California may have been the lack of enough large trees with holes big enough for nesting. Humans probably provided many more potential nesting sites by planting trees, and in crevices in buildings and other structures.

Part of the Monk Parakeet’s success is due to the fact that it builds its nest out of sticks, and isn’t reliant on cavities.

[DrDeth]

@Colibri

All parrots with the exception of Monk Parakeets nest in cavities, either tree holes or sometimes ones in rock or soil. I would expect that a stronger limiting factor in southern California may have been the lack of enough large trees with holes big enough for nesting. Humans probably provided many more potential nesting sites by planting trees, and in crevices in buildings and other structures.

Part of the Monk Parakeet’s success is due to the fact that it builds its nest out of sticks, and isn’t reliant on cavities.

We have been planting lots of palm trees, and in SF that were I noticed parrots hanging out. Could they nest there?

[Colibri]

@DrDeth

We have been planting lots of palm trees, and in SF that were I noticed parrots hanging out. Could they nest there?

If they have holes. Lots of parrots here in Panama City use woodpecker holes in palms for nest sites.

[YogSothoth]

Parrots are weird birds. They look like human-bred trophies instead of wild animals.