MaryL wrote:

There are feral colonies of parakeets in many countries, including the U.S.
They may have escaped from homes, been released deliberately, or
accidentally been released during shipment. We already have a number of
bird species that were imported (deliberately or accidentally), and which
have taken over the habitat of native species.

So, you're saying that parrots and parakeets compete with native birds
for the same ecological niches, and the parrots and parakeets are winning
out? Do they also breed faster than native birds?

There's quite a population of feral parrots in San Francisco - some of
you might have seen the wonderful documentary, "The Wild Parrots of
Telegraph Hill". I don't know what impact they have on native species
in the city, though. The hawks and falcons seem happy about them being
there!

Some agricultural students
fear that this could happen with quaker parrots because they seem to adapt
and breed readily when they are released.

What would the effects be on agriculture? Do they eat plants that the
natives leave alone?

Incidentally, I often think that my grandfather (who farmed from early 1900
until his death in 1953) was "ahead of his time." Other farmers used all
sorts of techniques to get rid of birds that were "stealing their grain"
from the fields. My grandfather planted extra grain "for the birds." He
said birds were worth their weight in gold because of all the insects they
ate. Likewise, he mounted a bat house on the side of my grandparents' house
instead of taking steps to destroy them.

Smart guy! I seem to remember you posting about this once before, or maybe
someone else was doing the same thing. It's ingenious.

Joyce

--
Who ever thought up the word "Mammogram"? Every time I hear it, I think
I'm supposed to put my breast in an envelope and send it to someone.
-- Jan King