General Description: Monk Parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus), are medium-sized, noisy, bright green birds with long tails and long wings. The face, bill, and underparts are pale gray, the wings and back are green, and there is blue in the primary feathers and tail. In flight, the dorsal surface of the wings is green, and the ventral surface of the wings is light at the base with dark primary feathers.

Taxonomy: Psittaciformes, Psittacidae. Also referred to as Quaker Parrot

Favored Habitat: Temperate and subtropical open woodlands. Feral populations around the world adapt readily to urban areas.

Where to Find: Don't look for Monk Parakeets around Las Vegas. Rather, look for wild birds in temperate Argentina and surrounding areas in South America. Closer to home, look for feral, self-sustaining populations in the Midwest, New England, Los Angeles, and in south Florida (including the St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale-Miami areas). In Dunedin, Florida, a good place to find Monk Parakeets is on the light poles at the ball field just north of Hammock Park.

Comments: Monk Parakeets build huge colonial stick nests primarily in electrical substations and other large power structures, such as the lighting at ball parks. In Florida, they also nest in palm trees (and occasionally in other types of trees). Unlike most parakeets, Monk Parakeets are native to temperate environments, and this has enabled them to spread widely in the U.S., including northern cities such as New York City, Chicago, and Seattle,