# Monk Parakeet

Scientific name: Myiopsitta monachus

Bird group: [parakeet](https://birdsofpuertorico.com/family/parakeet)

Canonical source: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/bird/196/Monk-Parakeet

## Identification

The monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus), also known as the Quaker parrot, is a species of true parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is a small, bright-green parrot with a greyish breast and greenish-yellow abdomen. Its average lifespan is 20–30 years. It originates 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.


## Distribution and habitat

The Monk Parakeet is native to south-central South America, and 
in the West Indies it has been 
introduced to Puerto Rico, the 
Cayman Islands, Guadeloupe, 
and The Bahamas (Raffaele 
and others 1998), as well in 
major cities of North America 
and Europe (del Hoyo and 
others 2013). In Puerto Rico, it 
is a common resident along the 
coastal plain and urban areas 
(Falcón and Tremblay 2018) and 
can be found in coastal habitats 
and palm groves (Raffaele and 
others 1998), farms, gardens, and city parks (Oberle 2018). The 
atlas fieldwork yielded a total of 
76 records within 60 hexagons 
or 13 percent of the 479 total 
hexagons (see map). Of the 60 
hexagons where this species 
was found, breeding met the 
atlas definition of confirmed in 
28 percent (17) of the hexagons, 
probable in 32 percent (19), and 
possible in 37 percent (22), while 
the species was observed in 3 
percent (2) of the hexagons but 
without evidence of breeding 
(see map).Monk Parakeet distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones in 
Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.       187Monk Parakeet/Perico Monje 

## Breeding

The Monk Parakeet builds a large communal nest made of 
sticks, often placed at the base 
of palm fronds (Oberle 2018, 
Raffaele and others 1998). Atlas 
results show that this species 
breeds throughout the year 
with the most breeding activity 
from March to May (see chart). 
Overall, the breeding activity 
peaks during April and May, 
and it mostly takes place within 
the subtropical moist forest life 
zone (see chart). Results (see 
table and map) show that this 
species breeds mostly within the 
subtropical moist forest life zone (78 percent of the hexagons) and 
also within the subtropical dry 
forest life zone (22 percent of 
the hexagons).

## Conservation

The current global population trend of the Monk Parakeet has 
not been quantified or assessed, 
but the species is described 
as common and common to 
abundant (del Hoyo and others 
2013, Stotz and others 1996), 
and the population is suspected 
to be increasing due to the 
creation of new suitable habitat 
(del Hoyo and others 2013). 
This species is currently listed as a species of least concern by 
the IUCN (BirdLife International 
2018). The parakeet has been 
increasing in numbers in Puerto 
Rico and has expanded it range 
from the urban locations where 
originally introduced (Falcón 
and Tremblay 2018). Locally, this 
species is not listed in any of the 
threatened categories of PRDNER 
and USFWS. In Puerto Rico, the 
Monk Parakeet has a protected 
habitat in land of 10 percent or 
141 km2 of the total area covered by the hexagons where evidence 
of breeding was found for this 
species (1387 km2).

Photo: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_196_Im0.png.webp

Distribution map: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_196_Im1.png.webp

Source note: Text is reproduced from this site's published record. Historical conservation statements and taxonomy have not been independently revalidated. See https://birdsofpuertorico.com/about for source credits and limitations.