Invasive species : Monk parakeets?
by Lewis, 13 October, 2011, 2 comments
DEFRA has declared that the monk parakeet is a threat. The home of the monk parakeet is South America. It is being viewed as a threat because of the parakeet’s unusual nesting habits. Unlike other parrots, monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) use sticks to build huge nests on the outside of a tree’s canopy or pylons – these can reach the size of a small car! In the United States, the nests have been responsible for power shortages, cuts in power transmission, fires and crop damage. However, no damage in the U.K. has been reported to date though DEFRA has expressed concern that damage might be caused to ‘national infra-structure’ and native British wildlife.
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