Florida's Exotic Wildlife. Species detail.
First year: 1969
Extirpated year:
Established status: Populations
are confirmed breeding and apparently self-sustaining for 10 or
more consecutive years
Estimated Florida range: 52
counties At least 10 years
Statewide trend: Stable
Threats to natives: Effects
on native species is unknown. It is the most abundant naturalized
parrot species and the only member of the parrot family that is not
a cavity nester. Tested birds seem to be remarkably free of
Newcastle and other avian diseases.
Species Account: The Monk
Parakeet is native to South America east of the Andes from Bolivia
to central Argentina (Forshaw 1973). Its initial introduction date
into Florida is unknown, but it has been established in the Miami
area since at least 1969 (Owre 1973). By 1975, this species was
reported from 30 states, but large colonies existed only in
Florida, California, Illinois, and New York (Neidermyer and Hickey
1977). It is often found in city parks. Large communal stick nests
built on electrical transmission structures can be a problem. These
large balls of twigs are used year-round for roosting by adults and
are often situated high in royal palms, cabbage palms, melaleucas,
or native oaks (Florida BBA 1986-91). The species is highly
gregarious, and many colonies in Dade and Pinellas counties number
in the hundreds and have persisted for many years, whereas small
colonies tend to be ephemeral (Florida BBA 1986-91). No eradication
program has been implemented in Florida. In its native range, Monk
Parakeets inhabit open woods, cultivated lands, and palm groves (de
Schauensee 1970), but in Florida, they inhabits surburban areas,
often feeding in large flocks at feeders or on lawns (Florida BBA
1986-91), probably on grass seeds and insects (Forshaw 1973). It is
a major agricultural pest in South America (Long 1981) and may
become one in Florida if it spreads to agricultural areas.
Habitats: Central or core
urban area, Low density suburban development, areas peripheral
to core urban areas, and small towns.
| County |
First Year |
Extirpated Year |
Breeding status |
Notes |
| North Central |
|
|
At least 10 years |
|
| Northeast |
|
|
At least 10 years |
|
| Southwest |
|
|
At least 10 years |
|
| South |
|
|
At least 10 years |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Alachua |
|
|
At least 10 years |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Brevard |
|
|
At least 10 years |
Reported confirmed breeding (Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Broward |
|
|
At least 10 years |
Reported confirmed breeding (Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Charlotte |
|
|
At least 10 years |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Citrus |
|
|
At least 10 years |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Dade |
|
|
At least 10 years |
Reported confirmed breeding (Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Duval |
|
|
Not reported breeding |
|
| Hernando |
|
|
At least 10 years |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Highlands |
|
|
At least 10 years |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Hillsborough |
|
|
At least 10 years |
Reported confirmed breeding (Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Indian River |
|
|
At least 10 years |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Lee |
|
|
At least 10 years |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Leon |
|
|
At least 10 years |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Levy |
|
|
Not reported breeding |
2 at Cedar Key (Pranty 1996d) |
| Manatee |
|
|
At least 10 years |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Marion |
|
|
At least 10 years |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Martin |
|
|
At least 10 years |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Monroe |
|
|
At least 10 years |
Reported confirmed breeding (Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Okeechobee |
|
|
At least 10 years |
Reported confirmed breeding (Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Orange |
|
|
At least 10 years |
Reported confirmed breeding (Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Osceola |
|
|
At least 10 years |
Reported confirmed breeding (Florida BBA 1986-91); however,
reported not breeding by Pranty (1998) |
| Palm Beach |
|
|
At least 10 years |
Reported confirmed breeding (Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Pasco |
|
|
At least 10 years |
|
| Pinellas |
|
|
At least 10 years |
Reported confirmed breeding (Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Polk |
|
|
At least 10 years |
|
| Saint Johns |
|
|
At least 10 years |
Reported confirmed breeding (Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Sarasota |
|
|
At least 10 years |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Seminole |
|
|
At least 10 years |
Reported confirmed breeding (Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Sumter |
|
|
At least 10 years |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
References
de Schauensee, R. M. 1970. A guide to the birds of
South America. Livingston Publishing Company, Wynnewood,
Pennsylvania.
Forshaw, J. M. 1973. Parrots of the world.
Landsdowne Press, Melbourne, Australia.
James, F. C. 1997. Nonindigenous Birds. Pages
139-156 In Strangers Among Us: Impact and management of
nonindigenous species in Florida. (Simberloff,D., D. Schmitz, and
E. Wilson, eds.) Island Press, Washington D.C.
Long, J.L. 1981. Introduced Birds of the world.
A.H.& A.R. Reed, Ltd. Sydney Australia
Neidermyer, W. J., and J. J. Hickey. 1977. The Monk
Parakeet in the United States, 1970-75. American Birds
31:273-278.
Owre, O. T. 1973. A consideration of the exotic
avifauna of southeastern Florida. Wilson Bulletin 85:495.
Pranty, B. 1996d. Field observations [fall report:
August-November 1995]. Florida Field Naturalist 24:48-59.
Pranty, B. 1998b. Field observations [summer
report: June-July 1998]. Florida Field Naturalist 26:26-32.
Pranty, B. In preparation. Status of the monk
parakeet in Florida.
Spreyer, M. F., and E. H. Bucher. 1998. Monk
parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus). In A. Poole and F. Gill, editors.
Birds of North America, No. 292. The Academy of Natural Sciences,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and The American Ornithological Union,
Washington D.C., USA.
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