{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "monk-parakeet",
  "name": "Monk Parakeet",
  "scientificName": "Myiopsitta monachus",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus), also called the Quaker parrot, is a green-and-grey parakeet from south-eastern South America. It is the only parrot that builds its own large, communal stick nests instead of using a tree hole. Escaped pets have founded wild colonies in cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Brooklyn and Chicago. It is listed as Least Concern and increasing.",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Stick-nest builders",
      "body": "Every other parrot nests in a cavity. Monk parakeets weave bulky nests from twigs in trees, on pylons or on buildings. Several pairs add chambers to the same structure, which can grow into a large communal nest used all year for roosting as well as breeding."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Identification",
      "body": "It is bright green above with a pale grey forehead, cheeks and throat, a grey breast with scalloped edges, a yellow-green belly, blue flight feathers and a pale orange-pink bill. The tail is long and pointed. Flocks are loud and chattering."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Native and feral range",
      "body": "The native range covers lowland Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, southern Brazil and Argentina. Because the species is common in the pet trade, escaped birds have formed colonies in Spain, Italy, Belgium, the United States, Mexico and other countries."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Status",
      "body": "BirdLife International lists the monk parakeet as Least Concern (2018) with an increasing trend. Its nests on electricity poles can cause power cuts, and some countries control feral populations."
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [
    {
      "question": "Is a monk parakeet the same as a Quaker parrot?",
      "answer": "Yes. 'Quaker parrot' is a common pet-trade name for the monk parakeet, Myiopsitta monachus."
    },
    {
      "question": "Why are there monk parakeets in Madrid and New York?",
      "answer": "They descend from escaped or released pets. Their stick nests and tolerance of cold let them survive and breed in cities far from South America."
    },
    {
      "question": "Do monk parakeets build nests?",
      "answer": "Yes. They are the only parrots that build their own stick nests, often large communal structures with separate chambers."
    },
    {
      "question": "How long do monk parakeets live?",
      "answer": "About 22 years has been recorded in captivity. Wild lifespans are not well documented."
    }
  ],
  "sourceUpdate": null,
  "evidence": [],
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Psittaciformes",
    "family": "Psittacidae",
    "genus": "Myiopsitta"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.12,
    "lengthM": 0.3,
    "topSpeedKmh": 0,
    "lifespanYears": 0
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Myiopsitta monachus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Other name",
      "value": "Quaker parrot"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Seeds, fruit, buds, flowers and crops"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Open woodland, savanna, farmland and city parks"
    },
    {
      "label": "Length",
      "value": "28–33 cm (11–13 in) including the tail"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "About 22 years recorded in captivity"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2018)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Lowlands of Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, southern Brazil and Argentina. Feral colonies live in Spain, Italy, the United States and elsewhere.",
    "continents": [
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "BirdLife International (2026). Species factsheet: Monk Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus. BirdLife DataZone. Checked 1 November 2026.",
      "url": "https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/monk-parakeet-myiopsitta-monachus"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web: Myiopsitta monachus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Myiopsitta_monachus/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Tobias, J. A. et al. (2022). AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds. Ecology Letters 25: 581–597. doi:10.1111/ele.13898",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Gill, F., Donsker, D. & Rasmussen, P. (Eds). IOC World Bird List v15.2.",
      "url": "https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/monk-parakeet/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/monk-parakeet/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}