Cobalt Pallid Female Quaker

The Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus), also known as the Quaker Parrot, is a species of true parrot in the family Psittacidae.

It has bright green upperparts. The forehead and breast are pale gray with darker scalloping and the rest of the underparts are very light-green to yellow. The flight feathers are dark blue, and the tail is long and tapering. Females tend to be 10-20% smaller, but can only be reliably sexed by DNA or feather testing.

Domestic breeds in colors other than the natural plumage have been produced. These include birds with white, blue, and yellow in place of green. As such coloration provides less camouflage, feral birds are usually of wild-type coloration.

Originating from the temperate to subtropical areas of Argentina and the surrounding countries in South America. Self-sustaining feral populations occur in many places, mainly in North America and Europe. It is the only parrot that builds a stick nest, in a tree or on a man-made structure, rather than using a hole in a tree. This gregarious species often breeds colonially, building a single large nest with separate entrances for each pair. In the wild, the colonies can become quite large, with pairs occupying separate “apartments” in nests that can reach the size of a small automobile.

Will eat various seeds, vegetables and fruits. Lifespan has been given as 15-20 years or as much as 25-30 years.