Wild Parrots in the Snow!

On Sunday night, New York City had its first snowfall of the winter season, so naturally I ventured forth to see if I could obtain some images of wild parrots in the snow. I had reasonable luck, as these photos attest.

Enjoy this strange urban marvel: bright green and grey parrots, in the middle of New York City, frolicking in the December snow! Who needs to go to Bermuda or Cancun when there is such exotic wildlife right here?

(click on any image to see an enlargement)


Jump for joy! There's a scattering of Petco gourmet-style Finch Seed on the ground, which is especially welcome today, because the wild parrots' usual foraging ground is under an impenetrable coat of snow.



Mourning doves and sparrows are often found in the company of New York's wild parrots. Some people unfortunately think that the quaker parakeets harass other birds, but I've never seen it happen. The quakers seem to get along with every bird in New York, except for crows, falcons, and hawks, which they do not like at all.


The quaker parakeets and mourning doves are enjoying this seed, but aren't dependent on it. The quakers do very well eating acorns, which are often found around the base of trees, where the snow doesn't build up heavily.


On a later, sunnier day in December. the quakers are found frolicking in the snow.


Even though their foraging field is covered by the white stuff, these birds aren't going hungry today, however. See those tiny sprigs of grass sticking up through the snow? They're delicious and nutritious!



I will be going out to see these remarkable wild parrots on each weekend through the winter and will share any good pix I take with you all. There's something really amazing about seeing these birds -- so far from home and without any written instructions -- making a go of it in New York.

Some might call the quaker parakeets' remarkable success story in our hemisphere as an example of a highly evolved, highly adaptive creature created by the Darwinian lathe of natural selection. Others will surely view them as an example of really intelligent "Intelligent Design."

Either way, they're tough, vociferous little characters who have, in my view, earned the honorific title, "American Parrot."

For More Pictures of Wild Parrots in the Snow, please see:
NYC Wild Parrots Bid Farewell to Snow