Attracting Monk Parrots

I'm looking at you...

One more -- waiting in the trees...

Beautiful pics mrw!!

I'll never tire of seeing your pictures....Thank you, Deb

The parrots have been having to cope with an influx of cowbirds at the feeder lately.

Maybe they won't notice I'm different...

Lots of wings here

Very nice pics mrw!!

I had a quaker for 15 years and he died about two years ago. He had quite a vocabulary also.
You never know how often you say a phrase until you hear your bird saying it.
His favorite was "Come on Taffy!" which I said every time I closed the birdroom door to our nosey cat, who would follow me in.
They make good pets.

They are certainly fun to watch at the feeder -- such personality. I love to watch/hear them "talk" one another. I saw what might have been a juvenile bird fly into a nearby tree and then talk to three parrots nearby for about a half an hour. Finally, the adults must have convinced the young parrot to leave, since they all took off together.

Saw a video article on the front page today: Parrots vs. Power Companies. It may have been on nbc's nightly news.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

Kathy

Thank you, Kathy.....I'm glad to see people caring about them....I know I do....Deb

Wheres the video?

Hi Depsi,How are you?

Sorry. If you go to the link, you'll see reference to the article and video on the lower right hand side. There's a picture there of the parrots, so it's pretty easy to find.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23487753#23487753

Thanks Mrs Ed, I got to that page before but the video won't start. I tried pushing the buttons but it just sits w/ a black screen.
Thanks for trying. :-)

ah, i think i remember that MSNBC wants you to download something special for their video.

Shoot. Sorry. You do have to have the right software to "see" their videos - you might not have it.

Thanks for posting that -- I didn't have any trouble watching the video. I know about the conflict with the power companies but I haven't seen bird nests be taken down around New Orleans yet. I commonly see the nests in stadium lights and microwave towers. They do also nest in large palm trees here, too. I know that there is some kind of device you can put in the stadium lights to keep them away -- I think it's somekind of reflecting device that flashes and spooks them. There is a new park nearby my house and a baseball stadium with huge banks of lights -- the parrots do not nest there, although they nest in a nearby set of stadium lights by an older park.

A large quaker parrot nest is a quite a site -- like a high rise condo with many chambers to it.

I'm still getting the parrots in my backyard bird feeder although not as many as originally. I think the crowds of cowbirds I've been getting lately is keeping them a bit shy. I still see two or three nearly every day I'm home from work.

I'm surprised they don't tell you what you need to make it play.

I do have a few video systems on my computer.

Pelle, try these links:

http://msnbc.com/m/info/help.asp#av_help
http://www.msnbc.com/M/mw/s/msnbc/help_ab.asp

I'd heard about the condo-style nests. And I'm sure that, years ago, I heard that they were the only bird that made nests in the ground (in their native habitat in South America). Unfortunately, I can't find that info anywhere anymore . . .

Here's one a got over the weekend. The parrots continue their visits almost every day.

One more -- in flight this time

Sweet pics mrw! I love that second one!

Love these pictures so much! Last August, I parked my car at a marina in Seabrook, TX and a flock of parrots landed in a nearby tree. I grabbed my camera and waded through fire ants, but they were so skiddish that it was hard to get any pic at all! They really are nervous nellies! I'm very impressed by the pictures that y'all have gotten. Love those pics in the crepe myrtles! I had no idea they would eat that.

Very nice picture, Elphaba. I've been been feeding them since December and I have two that return almost every day. And I often see the flock (anywhere from five to twelve).

I had a flock come by in the evening and saw a young parrot "quake" -- bob up and down. I've seen that before with little quaker parrots asking for food. This looked like the same thing. Hard to tell in the still pictures but here are a few.

a second one

a third

A flight picture

Very nice pics mrw!

What beautiful birds...

They have such beautiful blue feathers - love to see them fly. Thanks for your kind comments one and all.

Hi mrw31
I live in Laplace, La. and work in Metairie. Several months ago I was at the Radio Shack there on Veterans Blvd and noticed this HUGE nest up in the cell phone tower next to the store. I looked over to the power lines and saw these big green birds perching there and could not believe my eyes. They looked just like parrots. Parrots in Metairie, La.? I googled "Metairie Parrots" this morning and hit this website. I didn't realize that these creatures were in several areas of New Orleans and Metairie. It amazes me that they are able to survive some of the cold weather we have here since they must be originally from the tropics. I really like your camera shots. What type of camera are you using? It works great! Anyway, just wanted to stop in and say hello. This is my first post here. I am a avid Purple Martin landlord and enjoy watching all the different birds in my backyard. It is great that you are feeding your parrots. I know they are loving it. Great pics of your 2 cuddlers!
David

Hi LD, Welcome to the forum! Hope to see you often.

It's hard for me to image seeing a flock of these in the wild. They are beauties. Last June I had a strange bird in my yard that I knew I'd never seen the likes of before and I got a couple pics ... turned out to be a Nutmeg Mannikin. I emailed Cornell and sent the photos and they said it was probably an escaped pet bird. I only saw it that one day. Is it OK to post the pics on this thread, or should I start a new post? Being new I'm not sure of the right "ediquette" yet on this board! LOL

I was in New Orleans last August and I heard this incredibly loud squawking coming from somewhere. I thought "hmmm that definitely does not sound like any bird I've ever seen, I've gotta find what did that!" so I began to look for the source of the sound. Lo and behold, there were 4 green parrot like birds sitting up on the power lines. I absolutely flipped. I figured they were someones pets that had been released in the wild, but now I realize that these were monks. Since then, I've seen them in the Houston area twice. Usually they are heard before seen!! I can't believe you got them to come to your feeders - so lucky!!!

Nice to see new posts here. Litedave, the very first monk parrot nest I ever saw in the New Orleans area was that Radio Shack nest. Now I see them everywhere. And I hear them even more. During the Creole Tomato fest I was down in the French Quarter and heard the familiar squawking in the tree by Cafe DuMonde -- sure enough, they are there! I'm getting a big flock come around recently -- mine come from the Mike Miley playground on West Metaire Blvd. The parrot parents are bringing their fledglings out for flight practice and they are so cute. Here are some more pictures. First the big flock in the mimosa tree.

Here's another of the little guys in the air.