NOTE: This is a followup to an earlier post: Monk Parakeet – Addison
Back in October of 2012 I did a special project on Monk Parakeets in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area. I took a day and visited every Monk Parakeet colony I was aware of in the metroplex.
Monk Parakeets are gregarious birds. They build large communal nests made up of nearly identical sized sticks and twigs. For some reason these birds have a distinct preference for building their nests in electrical substations.
One of the most unique colonies I visited was located in Addison, Texas. This colony was different from the others in that the birds there had built their nests in a tree rather than on an electrical substation, as is the norm. This was a glimpse of what one of their communal nests might look like out in the wild.
The nest was huge—the size of a recliner—with many different opening and compartments. There was another, smaller nest built on a utility pole just across the parking lot. These nests have been fixtures in this part of Addison for at least a decade. They were home to over a dozen birds.
Well, in March of 2013 I received the disturbing news that the Addison nests had been removed. You can find a description of the event as well as some discussion and follow up observations in the comment section of the previous post by clicking here.
Last Friday (May 17, 2013) I finally had a chance to get out and have a look at the location myself. Both nests are gone. There is no question that the removal was deliberate. What a shame it is that the property owner did not have the imagination to see this Monk Parakeet as a unique attraction rather than a nuisance to be destroyed.
There is an electrical substation very nearby (near the corner of Surveyor and Arapaho), and it was my hope that the colony had relocated to there. But, no luck. This particular substation did not seem particularly well suited to Monk Parakeets in the way in which it was laid out, and there were no parakeets present.
Observation Details
| County | – | Dallas |
|
| City | – | Addison | |
| Date | – | May 17, 2013 | |
| Time of Day | – | Afternoon | |
| Temperature | – | Warm (70-89°F/21-32°C) | |
| Weather | – | Clear | |
| Habitat | – | Commercial-Retail | |
| Type of Behavior | – | Fleeing | |
| Gender | – | Mixed | |
| Maturity | – | Adult | |
| Observer | – | Chris Jackson |
Possibly the reason for the removal from the Addison tree is the mess on the sidewalk and cars, and the noise. I’m not defending the decision, just putting forth an idea. -John
Yep, I’m sure whoever did this had their reasons. They were also well within their rights. Monk Parakeets are considered invasive and are not protected by law as far as I am aware. 10+ years is a long time to let a problem fester, though.
Just saw about 20 of these birds in my yard in Addison right across the street from their original nest. Very exciting! I thought a bunch of Parakeet’s escaped PetSmart this evening. Thanks for sharing this, I would have never known!
Specifically, they were in the grassy area next to Humperdinks and flew away to the South.
Thanks for the info. I will try to make it over there for a look tomorrow.
CJ