This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

Back story...In October of 2006, my Grandmother died. On Christmas Day of last year, I was cooking and I looked out my window. In the outside my kitchen (we are 4 floors up) was 1 GREEN PARROT!!! I thought some kid lost his Christmas present. I called my DH to come see and he points out that in the tree next to that one are at least another 15 GREEN PARROTS!! I swore it was some kind of sign from my grandmother. I mean, parrots in Queens, let alone in December!!! I know, dork!!

Anyway, the other day, I looked out the window and wondered if they would return. Well...about 20 minutes ago, DH was making breakfast and he looked out the window. Guess what he saw???

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

wow...unbelievable...i wonder where they came from

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

LOVE IT!!!

Years ago there were Quaker Parrots accidently released in that area and they have stayed there...

what an amazing sight!!!

ETA- it was actually in 1967 from JFK

Message edited 12/2/2007 11:27:23 AM.

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

thats so cool!

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

That is amazing!

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

Where in Queens are you? We're in Middle Village.

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

Here is an article about it


The Wild Parrots of New York City
11/20/2006 11:24:00 AM

by Steve Baldwin

A Quaker parrot coming in for a landing A lot of people are surprised when they hear that there are wild parrots living in New York City, but several hundred of them have been living here for many years in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and in Queens. There are many myths and legends surrounding their first appearance here in the early 1970's, but the most credible explanation is that the parrots we find here now are all related to a flock that was inadvertently released at Kennedy Airport in 1967.

How do these parrots survive New York's cold winters? Well, it turns out that they're well-suited for survival in our city, because their native land of Argentina also has a varying, temperate climate. In fact the kind of parrot living in New York, known as the Quaker Parrot or Monk Parakeet, has been able to survive in places with tougher winters than New York City, notably Chicago and Montreal.

The key to their survival lies in several strategies that the parrots have worked out: first of all, they are the only type of the roughly 350 types of parrots which builds elaborate stick nests providing warmth and protection against the cold. Throughout the year, these parrots are continuously renovating these impressive aerial structures, which are often found on stadium light poles and other man-made platforms. They are also what bird scientists call "plant generalists," meaning that they like to eat many different kinds of food available in urban areas, including grass, leaf buds, acorns and chestnuts, and bird seed from bird feeders. These parrots are also highly sociable, which helps them evade the many hawks, falcons, kestrels, and other avian predators patrolling New York's skies. Watch them for awhile and you'll notice that there is always at least one parrot scanning the sky for danger: if a threat appears, this "lookout" parrot will issue a special call warning other members of the flock to take immediate evasive action.

When the parrots first appeared in the 1970's some conservationists feared that they would behave aggressively toward other native birds, but no evidence exists to suggest such fears were ever warranted. Today, the parrots get along very well with the other urban birds which we find in New York City, including pigeons, sparrows, starlings, and mourning doves, and you'll often find them foraging for food together. The parrots do not, however, get along well with crows, which prey on their eggs, and of course, New York's birds of prey, which occasionally try to attack them. The parrots also seem to get along quite well with squirrels.

Quaker Parrots are highly intelligent and scientists have identified at least 11 distinct calls which they use to communicate with each about different situations they face each day. There are alarm calls, "all clear" calls, calls they make to each other to coordinate their flight patterns, calls to announce the location of food, and other special calls that scientists haven't yet decoded. In captivity, the Quaker Parrot is a very talkative parrot whose speech abilities are second only to the African Grey.

Sociable, intelligent, hard-working, fast-talking and ever-watchful, these resourceful Quaker Parrots have all the qualities required to "make it" in The Big Apple!

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

That is so cool! My Aunt has a bunch outside of her house in Brooklyn.

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

Posted by BunnyWife

Here is an article about it


The Wild Parrots of New York City
11/20/2006 11:24:00 AM

by Steve Baldwin

A Quaker parrot coming in for a landing A lot of people are surprised when they hear that there are wild parrots living in New York City, but several hundred of them have been living here for many years in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and in Queens. There are many myths and legends surrounding their first appearance here in the early 1970's, but the most credible explanation is that the parrots we find here now are all related to a flock that was inadvertently released at Kennedy Airport in 1967.

How do these parrots survive New York's cold winters? Well, it turns out that they're well-suited for survival in our city, because their native land of Argentina also has a varying, temperate climate. In fact the kind of parrot living in New York, known as the Quaker Parrot or Monk Parakeet, has been able to survive in places with tougher winters than New York City, notably Chicago and Montreal.

The key to their survival lies in several strategies that the parrots have worked out: first of all, they are the only type of the roughly 350 types of parrots which builds elaborate stick nests providing warmth and protection against the cold. Throughout the year, these parrots are continuously renovating these impressive aerial structures, which are often found on stadium light poles and other man-made platforms. They are also what bird scientists call "plant generalists," meaning that they like to eat many different kinds of food available in urban areas, including grass, leaf buds, acorns and chestnuts, and bird seed from bird feeders. These parrots are also highly sociable, which helps them evade the many hawks, falcons, kestrels, and other avian predators patrolling New York's skies. Watch them for awhile and you'll notice that there is always at least one parrot scanning the sky for danger: if a threat appears, this "lookout" parrot will issue a special call warning other members of the flock to take immediate evasive action.

When the parrots first appeared in the 1970's some conservationists feared that they would behave aggressively toward other native birds, but no evidence exists to suggest such fears were ever warranted. Today, the parrots get along very well with the other urban birds which we find in New York City, including pigeons, sparrows, starlings, and mourning doves, and you'll often find them foraging for food together. The parrots do not, however, get along well with crows, which prey on their eggs, and of course, New York's birds of prey, which occasionally try to attack them. The parrots also seem to get along quite well with squirrels.

Quaker Parrots are highly intelligent and scientists have identified at least 11 distinct calls which they use to communicate with each about different situations they face each day. There are alarm calls, "all clear" calls, calls they make to each other to coordinate their flight patterns, calls to announce the location of food, and other special calls that scientists haven't yet decoded. In captivity, the Quaker Parrot is a very talkative parrot whose speech abilities are second only to the African Grey.

Sociable, intelligent, hard-working, fast-talking and ever-watchful, these resourceful Quaker Parrots have all the qualities required to "make it" in The Big Apple!

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

That;s crazy. I lived in Whitestone for 12 years and never did I see a wild parrot. Great pictures!!!!!!

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

that is so cool!! they are beautiful

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

That is really cool.

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

I love them! We have a growing colony of them in my local park also! Seeing them makes me feel all tropical!

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

Yes, those are quakers! They are not that uncommon in this part of the country either. My father has had one for many, many, many years. She's a bit of a beyotch though! Although she is soooooooo in love with my father, and he's the only one she will let anywhere near her.

Just lookout when they start to squak! They are LOUD!

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

I know I am a dork, but I watch Sylvia Browne, the psychic who works with the Montel Williams show.

ANYWAY she says that it is common for the dead to send birds as a sign to their loved ones! Maybe they are a sign from your grandmother.

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

That's pretty cool..

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

so cool! I've lived in Queens my whole life I've never seen them!!!!!!! I'm in Maspeth right now so I guess it's too far away to see them from Beechhurst

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

That's awesome!!!!

Re: This is the coolest thing about Queens!!! Picture overload!!!

Wow! They are a beautiful color!