Birdsong field guide
Monk Parakeet
Myiopsitta monachus
The Monk Parakeet is a small, bright green parrot with a distinctive grey breast and forehead, renowned for its unique communal nesting habits. It is highly adaptable and has established successful feral populations in urban environments worldwide.
What it sounds like
A loud, raspy series of screeches and squawks, often sounding like a metallic 'chah-ree' or 'skveet'.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
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Field notes
- It is the only parrot species that builds a stick nest rather than nesting in tree cavities or holes.
- These birds construct massive, multi-chambered 'apartment' nests that can house dozens of pairs and weigh several hundred pounds.
- Monk Parakeets are exceptionally cold-tolerant, allowing them to survive winters in northern cities like Chicago and New York.
- They frequently utilize man-made structures such as utility poles and cell towers for nesting, which can occasionally cause electrical fires or outages.
- Each individual bird has a unique vocal signature, or 'contact call,' that functions similarly to a human name for social identification.
Habitat
Urban parks, suburban residential areas, agricultural lands, and open woodlands.
Range
Native to temperate and subtropical South America; widely introduced across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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