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Wildlife

Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 2:29 pm
by Stik
There are parrots outside my window.

This would not be surprising if I lived in the tropics, but I live on Long Island, about fifty miles east of New York City.

They're Monk Parrots, as seen in the pictures below. Supposedly a shipment escaped from captivity at JFK airport in the late 1960s and have been thriving here, despite the colder climate, and gradually extending their range.

They're pretty to look at - vivid green, with off-white bellies - but they are very noisy and they show up in groups of six to ten at a time and hang out in one particular tree in my yard and squawk at each other and at the other birds and the squirrels.

Oh, and we now have a couple of black squirrels in the neighborhood, too. And egrets. And a blue heron. And a goshawk. And even an osprey. This is in addition to the usual squirrels, opossums and racoons we're used to seeing. My little suburban neighborhood is turning into wild kingdom.


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Re: Wildlife

Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 10:30 pm
by Cole
That's pretty cool :) nice looking birds... I have Eagles outside mine :up: Lots of em :D

Re: Wildlife

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:43 am
by Shao Khan
Invasive species. Nice going humans.
They're smart and social. Amazing they reproduced coming from the south like that.
That's similar to how we introduced starlings and those Florida boas we hear about. I have to wonder how they impact nesting and chick rearing. It's obvious they can dominate a food source. If it eats corn or soybeans then the farmers here will want to eradicate it.
Better than pigeons acid feces. Wish they ate these invasive Japanese beetles and/or garlic mustard.
I am surrounded by a nature preserve (166acre) I'm the steward. Point being I know about some invasive species and how they start and cannot be removed now that they have a footholds. The damage they can do to ecosystems can be devastating.

Still pretty damn cool to see in your area much less just out the window. It's still a prime example of Nature finding a way to survive.

Wife attracts hummingbirds. 1cup sugar to 1liter/quart of boiling water. Try it, it's awesome.

Re: Wildlife

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 11:05 am
by Stik
The parrots are causing some problems locally beyond the noise. They build these huge communal nests, and like to build them in warm places. Utility poles near pole-mounted electric transformers are a popular place.
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Obviously not an ideal situation, because the nests can cause the transformers to overheat.

Re: Wildlife

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 1:32 pm
by Shao Khan
Wiki said they in Argentina they build those as big as an auto. I bet those lineman are pissed. That could even catch fire I think. Seen plenty of squirrels flame up while I was visiting grandma's house right next to Illinois Power.

Poor bird?
Poor humans?
Lol, noise? The pics don't rely that. I bet they're loud as Hell?!