I have long wondered about this -- how seemingly tropical birds, like parrots, can become established in the Temperate Zone. It has of course happened many times in the Southern Hemisphere: the Monk Parakeet mentioned in this thread is native to Argentina far south of the Tropic of Capricorn; the Budgerigar and Cockatiel are native mainly in the Temperate Zone portions of Australia; all of the New Zealand parrots (Kaka, Kea, Kakapo) are Temperate Zone birds; and there is even a subantarctic species, the Antipodes Parakeet. But in the Northern Hemisphere, with the exception of the extinct Carolina Parakeet (formerly found as far north as New York and the Dakotas), parrots seem not to have successfully colonized the Temperate Zone. There are no native European parrots, extant or extinct, even in the Mediterranean countries which are similar in climate to Australia and South Africa; and likewise no Asian species extend to any latitude comparable to the Carolina Parakeet. I wonder if anyone here has seen any scientific explanations as to why this should be so?


Subject: [Tweeters] Parakeets in Seattle?
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There have been several Ebird reports recently of a small group of Monk Parakeets I believe in Yacolt which is in Clark County.?? I have never been one to count parakeets even in California and Arizona which I know do have established populations of several species.
The reason for this post is that while speaking to as salesman at Best Buy today about a possible new projector for WOS, I told him it would need to show pictures of birds well.?? He got interested and asked if I knew of the "Parrots" in Shoreline where he lives.?? He said there has been a group of at least 5 birds there for 10 years - somewhere in the area of 5th Avenue and 155th.?? I showed him photos of Monk Parakeets and he said - yes just like those.
Any info about this?
Blair Bernson
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