While sitting at my desk this afternoon writing a different post for this blog, a flash of bright green across the street caught my eye. Then I saw another, and another, and it appeared as if the tree across the way had been swarmed by some sort of tropical parrot. I threw on my coat and rushed outside, where I discovered that, indeed, our street in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, had been visited by South American Monk Parakeets.
Also known as the Quaker Parakeet, these birds have been present in large numbers in New York City for 40 years. They gained a foothold in the United States in the late 1960's, when the birds began to be imported as pets – many escaped their captors, or were released, and their numbers quickly ballooned. It is believed that the population in New York was established when they escaped from a shipping container at John F. Kennedy Airport in either 1967 or 1968 – the exact date and circumstances of this incident remain shrouded in mystery (that may be due to a connection with organized crime and some of their shenanigans gone awry).
Also known as the Quaker Parakeet, these birds have been present in large numbers in New York City for 40 years. They gained a foothold in the United States in the late 1960's, when the birds began to be imported as pets – many escaped their captors, or were released, and their numbers quickly ballooned. It is believed that the population in New York was established when they escaped from a shipping container at John F. Kennedy Airport in either 1967 or 1968 – the exact date and circumstances of this incident remain shrouded in mystery (that may be due to a connection with organized crime and some of their shenanigans gone awry).
Originally confined to the vast marshes of Jamaica Bay that border the airport, the birds have settled on Brooklyn as their favorite borough. One of the largest and oldest colonies is in Green-Wood Cemetery, just a block from our front door. If you walk to the front gates of the cemetery on 5th Avenue, you can see the massive nests they build atop the Gothic spires – these are the only variety of parrot that build large communal nests out of sticks. Though they are year-round residents of the city, from what I can tell this is one of their more active times of year, at least in our neighborhood. The super of our building, known affectionately as "the Mayor of East 2nd Street," said they usually gather in large numbers on our block in December.
Though they are an invasive species, there is some dispute as to whether these birds are a nuisance. Their massive nests can cause problems, and some power companies often remove them from utility poles. New York City embarked on an eradication program in the early 1970's, but to no avail, and today the birds are established in at least 15 states from Massachusetts to Florida and as far west as Oklahoma. I just think they are a welcome, if raucous, splash of color and sound on a dreary winter day.
Though they are an invasive species, there is some dispute as to whether these birds are a nuisance. Their massive nests can cause problems, and some power companies often remove them from utility poles. New York City embarked on an eradication program in the early 1970's, but to no avail, and today the birds are established in at least 15 states from Massachusetts to Florida and as far west as Oklahoma. I just think they are a welcome, if raucous, splash of color and sound on a dreary winter day.
Interestingly, once the prattle of parakeets had departed, their scraps were mopped up by a group of European Starlings, another invasive species that gained an American foothold in New York City. Now numbering 200 million in the United States, Starlings first came to America as a small flock of less than 100 birds that was released into Central Park in 1890 by Eugene Schieffelin, who was supposedly trying to introduce all of the birds mentioned in the works of Shakespeare. Though the Starling thrived, Schieffelin failed in his mission, as by my reckoning, there are no wild Choughs, Jackdaws, Wagtails or Ostriches in the US – there is a complete list of all 45 of the Bard's birds here.
If you want to learn more about the tropical birds that flourish in wintry New York, there are a couple of websites you should visit. BrooklynParrots.com organizes birdwatching trips to their regular hangouts; their next outing will be January 9th at Brooklyn College, which has one of the longest-established colonies. Wild Parrots of New York also posts sightings with photos and other information, so send them your hot tips.
If you want to learn more about the tropical birds that flourish in wintry New York, there are a couple of websites you should visit. BrooklynParrots.com organizes birdwatching trips to their regular hangouts; their next outing will be January 9th at Brooklyn College, which has one of the longest-established colonies. Wild Parrots of New York also posts sightings with photos and other information, so send them your hot tips.
New York City is actually a wonderful place for a birdwatcher. The city is ideally situated for viewing migratory birds – the Atlantic Flyway passes right through here, as most northeastern birds head south through New England, then bank west and fly the length of Long Island to avoid flying over open ocean. That makes what little green space the city has prime real estate in this migratory bottleneck, meaning urban parks like Central Park and Prospect Park are packed with birds. The city's waterfront parks, like Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx and Manhattan's Inwood Hill Park, are also great for birdwatching; Jamaica Bay in Queens is a massive bird sanctuary within the city limits, and it is a wonderful site for viewing marshland and shore birds of all varieties. Once the weather turns warm again and the ferry reopens, Governors Island is a great spot as well, and the National Park Service has regular free birdwatching programs run by volunteer Annie Barry.
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