Report: NY Parks Department Demolishing Bronx Wild Parrot Colony

A concerned resident of Pelham Bay Park called me today with sad news. The Parks Department is removing the light poles around the two ball fields at the south of Pelham Bay Park. The fixtures atop these poles have served as habitat for a large colony of Bronx-based wild Monk Parakeets (AKA Quaker Parrots) for nearly 40 years. According to my correspondent, the wild parrot nests are being demolished as the poles are removed. He tells me the work is being done by the NY Parks Department.

Without these poles in place, the parrots will most certainly disperse. Where they will go is anyone's guess. Also, the timing of these removals is problematic. While it is not the absolute worst time to perform these nest removals, this work should have been done several months earlier -- before the onset of cold weather.