Latest MUTCD update includes Audible Information Device requirements Per the recent 11th Edition of the MUTCD Section 6C.03 audible devices will soon be required when roads and sidewalks are closed to ensure that all pedestrians can safely navigate detours and closures.Key Features of Parakeet™ Audible Information Device: Don't wait until it's a requirement— contact PSS today to learn more about Parakeet™ to stay ahead of compliance mandates On a winter day during the Revolutionary War, a flock of emerald-green parrots landed on a house in Schoharie, New York, convincing locals the apocalypse had arrived. (A year later, British troops invaded and burned down that exact building.) The birds were Carolina Parakeets their presence was something of a freak occurrence—one of just three state records of the species from 1780 to the 1930s But that didn’t stop New York from being included in the species’ long-accepted range map it covered much of the Eastern United States as if early scientists had drawn a blob around every reported sighting the parakeet’s range even traced the precise borders of Delaware and New Jersey scoured travel diaries from hunters and amateur ornithologists gathered notes from specimens in museum collections it also revealed that both subspecies had sovereign territories with little overlap By comparing seasonal differences in every part of the new range to the birds’ wintering and breeding needs the scientists further concluded that the western subspecies migrated as far northeast as Pennsylvania the parrot apocalypse of 1780 is officially a fluke (though the long-gone town of Paroquet Burgio’s findings help elucidate why the species died out so rapidly, too: The long-suspected culprits (deforestation or some combination thereof) would have had a graver impact on two isolated populations than on a more wide-ranging one Now that he’s set the record straight, Burgio hopes his research can inform modern conservation work around parrots, which are the most threatened avian group on Earth A closer look at the Carolina Parakeet’s range may help reveal new niches for species struggling in the tropics And tracking constrictions in the dead bird’s range over time could point to local land-use changes that are making parrots more vulnerable today But the past doesn't always line up with the present, Paul Reillo, the founder and president of the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation His organization conserves Red-browed Amazons and other declining parrots in captivity and in the wild. Reillo believes the world has changed too much for scientists to draw useful ecological lessons from the Carolina Parakeet's history “It’s not like comparing apples to oranges but comparing apples to cinderblocks,” he says adding that the research would be better directed toward current wildlife. “In the extinction crisis we’re facing now we need to ask hard questions about what we’re doing in science.” simply because it stands for something bigger and timeless this research has little to do with extinction,” he says “and has much more to do with life.”  Pledge to stand with Audubon to call on elected officials to listen to science and work towards climate solutions sometimes all it takes is an outstretched hand – never mind the few ruffled feathers – to help a fellow New Yorker in distress My wife and I were braving a walk down Central Park West on one of those polar vortex days last week when the temperature barely got above 10 degrees Sarah even consented to wear one of my many neck warmers Approaching 84th Street we thought we recognized the woman waving at us – in fact she was a stranger gesturing toward a barred window ledge at the corner “I’m rushing to my doctor – do you think you could help?” We looked over to see a green parakeet clutching the ledge – a startling sight on such a frigid afternoon having had a turquoise-blue one as a child called Topsy – 60 years later This bird looked young based on the dark bands on its forehead We saw no open windows but figured it hadn’t been out for long – a thin metallic band around its leg signaled it had a home I quickly approached and cupped my gloved hands around it – the bird flapped but didn’t fly away and its gentle nips on my finger showed how tame it was Sarah and I had the same immediate thought – let’s take it to the Wild Bird Fund on Columbus Avenue and 87th Street I stroked its round yellow head as we started back uptown we only handle pigeons and other wild birds dismissing our waif for having parakeet privilege She told us to try the bird vet across the street properly known as the Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine having stopped often to let our grandkids watch the canaries and finches fluttering and feeding in the window How fortunate now that we had an avian in need of help No appointments available or accommodation for a walk-in With a deposit of $159 we could schedule a later visit “Have you tried the Wild Bird Fund?” they asked A woman in the waiting area overheard our plea and said she’d love to take the budgie but explained she was there because her bird had a contagious bacterial infection called bumblefoot She said she’d post something on Next Door and asked for our number the staff gave us a box to carry the bird home I was beginning to weaken and thought back to the days when Topsy flew freely around my bedroom and alighted on my shoulder But Sarah reminded me of our allergies and preference for a new dog we stopped at a couple of pet shops on Columbus for birdseed and to inquire about a cage Back at our apartment we poured some seed into the box and Sarah cut up a Solo cup to make a water trough The bird burst forth and flew around our small office in a chartreuse streak I was hoping it would land on my shoulder but it went to the window sill – possibly expecting another escape act I was about to try Petco for a cage when we had a Eureka: Petqua old-fashioned pet shop on Broadway and 98th had friendly owners – they also had birds in abundance I called and told them about our found budgie We finally got the answer we’d been looking for: “We adopt birds.” We coaxed our new friend into the box and traipsed over Petqua’s co-owner Sam led us downstairs to the tropical aquarium and aviary basement Their giant tortoise George – 26 years old – scraped merrily along the floor like a prehistoric Roomba Toward the rear was a large vertical cage housing several bright green budgies not unlike ours we opened our box and the bird flipped right in and onto a perch adding it might not have survived more than a few hours in the deep freeze Within seconds another green parakeet hopped right next to ours and pecked a greeting – Sam could tell our bird was female from the light tan coloring above the beak I leaned in close to wish her well and heard a jaunty voice in my ear say “Hello.” It was the gray parrot in the next cage We returned a few days later for a visit and to see George who was enjoying a carrot and radish salad in a bowl on the floor went from preening herself in the mirror to unraveling some twine along the perch and hopping down for a nibble of seed alongside her new buddies I received a text from the woman from the vet’s office who offered to find a taker – I had added her to my contacts as “Terry Parakeet.” She shared the number of someone named Justine who was interested in the bird We’re thinking it over – not because we’re planning to buy her back but only if Justine will give us visitation rights as any found Upper West Side bird would attest Subscribe to West Side Rag’s FREE email newsletter here. And you can Support the Rag here. Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. The phrase “prehistoric Roomba” is award-worthy Reading this heart warming story was the perfect way to start the day!! Thank you for being another animal lover who makes the extra effort to help a kindred spirit in need!! Petqua is a great neighborhood resource — I must head to the basement next time and visit George I’m allergic to birds and had an African Grey I had to give up after 13 years which broke my heart Thank you for taking the time to help this lost young lady out Does the tag not make it possible to identify the original owner A band on a bird’s leg usually doesn’t identify an owner It’s something placed there by a breeder and it often only indicates that the bird was captive-bred It means someone deliberately created this bird to live its long life in captivity not to live and fly free in its natural environment A place called the Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine wouldn’t help out with parrot rescue When I was about years old in day camp playing kickball an adorable sky blue parakeet landed on my shoulder I called my parent (🎶🎶 hello mommy hello daddy) and we took him home We had that adorable creature (Petie) for 12 years I loved this story and if it wasn’t for my playful cat who would definitely wait for his chance to pounce and probably figure out a way to open the cage feathered ‘polar vortex waif’ that you and Sarah are both so good and compassionate and knowledgeable and were there for it in the frigid weather so serendipitous for all that you ended up at much-loved Petqua We love Petqua – so happy you thought to take Birdie there My last bird-buddy was a budgie found in Central Park a few years ago We now have another interesting place to visit on the Upper West Side for our grandson (and ourselves) Thank you for taking the time to save this dear little critter I saw George eat a cigarette butt on the street once Please consider linking Petqua’s Google Maps URL or Instagram in this article to give them some support What a lovely story about two people willing to help a little creature in need of rescue My new favorite UWS place is Petqua’s — we need more “homey I am so disappointed that the Wild Bird Fund and and The Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine (a commercial business enterprise presumably geared to address bird maladies) could not have given more assistance © 2025 West Side Rag | All rights reserved © 2025 West Side Rag | All rights reserved were first provided to the sisters as a gift by a priest during a retreat Now, the budgie parakeets are known to bring joy, comfort, and a sense of companionship to Sisters living at the Assisi House. Watch the video above to hear Francis speak and see what it means to the Sisters RELATED: Philly church helps moms feel like family at community baby shower 2025 at 10:52 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Anyone who knows the parakeet or its owners is asked to contact Tredyffrin Township Police at 610-644-3221 (Tredyffrin Township Police)TREDYFFRIN TOWNSHIP PA — Police in Tredyffrin Township are looking to reunite a found parakeet with its owners The bird was found in the parking lot of the Devon Acme Tuesday "It appears to be in good health (and quite the little chatterbox!)," police said Anyone who knows the parakeet or its owners is asked to contact Tredyffrin Township Police at 610-644-3221 Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. A new study explains how a parakeet's brain helps it to mimic human words By recording for the first time the brain activity of parakeets as they made sounds a research team at NYU Grossman School of Medicine found that their brains generate patterns seen before only in humans as they speak.  Published online March 19 in the journal Nature the study mapped the activity of a group of nerve cells in the bird's brain called the central nucleus of the anterior arcopallium (AAC) which is known to strongly influence the muscles in its vocal organ Different groups of AAC cells were found to produce sounds akin to consonants and vowels certain cells become active at specific pitches with the newfound pattern resembling the organization behind human speech the researchers suggest that humans and parakeets -- unlike any other animal studied so far -- share a similiar connection between higher brain activity and sound production An important way to develop new treatments for speech disorders is to find animal models that can offer new insights into speech-related brain processes The brain processes uncovered in parakeets may help to explain the mechanisms behind communication disorders affecting millions of Americans." senior study author, the Thomas and Suzanne Murphy Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and faculty in the Institute for Translational Neuroscience These include apraxia (trouble planning speech movements) and aphasia (difficulty producing language) which can result from trauma caused by a stroke "Incredibly flexible" spoken language is produced through delicate patterns in the human brain To determine whether the patterns are unique to humans the research team performed the first brain recordings in AAC of the budgerigar a type of small parrot that can mimic hundreds of human words Part of the study's results were focused on the contrast between the budgerigar's brain and that of the zebra finch a songbird species known to produce complex vocalizations While both species can imitate sounds using dedicated brain regions as well as specialized vocal organs The zebra finch requires more than 100,000 practice trials to learn a rigid song with experiments confirming that its brain establishes a fixed pattern of activity through a painstaking process of trial and error parakeets – like humans – can quickly adapt their vocal behavior Using their internal "vocal keyboard," they learn to flexibly reuse and creatively recombine motor commands to achieve different sounds the research team plans to study the higher brain functions that decide "which piano keys get pressed" via incoming signals to the AAC Uncovering these processes may shed light on higher cognitive abilities in humans as well as on strategies that enrich the artificial intelligence models behind chatbots (large language models) "Our results confirm that AAC neurons systematically represent vocal pitch and exert precise control over it with this system showing unprecedented commonalities with human brain activity," says lead author Zetian Yang "This work therefore establishes this parakeet as a critical new model for investigating speech motor control."  This research was supported by funding from the Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain NYU Langone Health Yang, Z., & Long, M. A. (2025). Convergent vocal representations in parrot and human forebrain motor networks. Nature. doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08695-8 Posted in: Medical Science News | Medical Research News Cancel reply to comment Learn how experts are advancing benzodiazepine analysis and detection using insights from the lab discusses how he is addressing today’s medical challenges using the technology of the future Explore how the Radian ASAP mass spectrometer is being used to streamline and enhance seized drug screening you can trust me to find commercial scientific answers from News-Medical.net please log into your AZoProfile account first Registered members can chat with Azthena, request quotations, download pdf's, brochures and subscribe to our related newsletter content A few things you need to know before we start Read the full Terms & Conditions Gus was a pet parakeet that two Maine-based psychologists adopted and lived with for 5 years They join us to share the story of how Gus’s remarkable ability to talk to humans taught his owners lessons about the value of communication and empathy a generative AI company centered on enhancing patient engagement for healthcare providers announced it has secured $3 million in seed funding The funding round was led by Canvas Ventures. StoryHouse Ventures as well as several leading investors participated in the round, including former One Medical Chief Executive Officer Dr Tom Lee and former Twitter (now X) Chief Technology Officer Adam Messinger The company also announced the launch of its generative AI voice platform designed to transform how healthcare providers handle patient communication at scale The San Francisco-based company develops voice agents to transform patient engagement and lower administrative burdens with the goal of driving higher revenue for providers powered by advanced large language model (LLM) technology reinforces various patient-experience use cases by managing both inbound and outbound communications at scale The generative AI voice platform automates contact center tasks and other routine administrative duties using AI voice agents to deal with both outbound and inbound patient communications via calls and texts The company plans to use the funds to grow its team multi-site medical practices and large senior primary care providers offered by Medicare Advantage plans "Our approach stands out because we’ve built it with a real understanding of the everyday challenges providers face," Jung Park Parakeet helps providers and their staff reclaim valuable time by handling complex patient interactions," Park said "Our voice AI agents go beyond standard automation 24/7 solution that adapts to both patient needs and operational workflows This combination of flexibility and deep healthcare integration makes us an ideal tool for organizations aiming to reduce costs while enhancing patient experience and efficiency."  Other companies in this space include Opkit which launched in 2023 with $1 million in funding and garnered investment from Global Founders Capital AI-powered software platform that automates back office phone calls for medical clinics The platform handles outbound calls to payers for insurance verification prior authorization and calls to pharmacies for prescription verification and calls to collect medical records which offers an AI operating system for healthcare organizations announced in February a $70 million Series B funding round co-led by Kleiner Perkins and OpenAI Startup Fund Existing investors Andreessen Horowitz and Optum Venture participated in the round The HIMSS Healthcare Cybersecurity Forum is scheduled to take place Oct. 31-Nov. 1 in Washington, D.C. Learn more and register © 2025 MobiHealthNews is a publication of HIMSS Media The latest news in digital health delivered daily to your inbox Beautiful, Blue-Eyed Babes! 35 Dog Breeds With Blue Eyes 11 Hairless (and Partially Hairless) Cat Breeds Why Is My Dog Shaking? From Over-Excitement to Medical Issues, Experts Break Down the Reasons Dogs Tremble BirdsAll BirdsCockatooChickenParrotThe 150 Best Bird Names Best Pet Chicken Breeds for Beginners (& Those to Avoid) Home/Pet NewsCockatoo and Ringneck Parakeet Playing a Silly Game Together Gives Best Friend GoalsPolly the Cockatoo loves to tease Rio the Indian Ringneck Parakeet Life is always more fun when you have a bestie to help you make sense of the world and make lifelong memories TikTok user Polly the Cockatoo (@pollythecockatoo) shared a video of Polly and Rio two best friends who always find a way to entertain each other We’re unable to load this content right now View directly on TikTok Polly, a Lesser Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, and Rio, an Indian Ring-necked Parakeet, are quite the duo, and every video we see of the two birds playing brings a smile to our faces and it shows so much of their personalities Polly seems to find it really funny when she’s goating Rio to grab the toy TikTok viewers get a kick out of how these two birds play with each other “Adorable,” and another shared several red-heart emojis In other clips of the Cockatoo and Parakeet playing which their parent has been sharing since early 2020 “The Cockatoo will not be played,” “The blue one is trying to charm the white one so it can eat its food but the white one sees right thru his lies,” “All of that rizz and he’s still unfazed,” “This gives significant other didn’t order food and now wants to eat all your fries vibes,” and “Polly was not havin' it.” Polly and Rio don't look similar—they're nearly opposites—Polly is large and white while Rio is small and blue both birds are part of the Parrot family and have some interesting characteristics According to SeaWorld, Lesser Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos “This Cockatoo is a large white parrot with a yellow crest and ear spot These birds are naturally found in Southeast Asia and Australia and are found in grasslands “Lesser Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos are the smallest of the Sulphur-Crested Parrots,” SeaWorld notes Lesser Sulphur Crested Cockatoos can live to 65 years old and more and are really good at mimicking the sounds of other animals and people Indian Ring-necked Parakeets are medium-sized Parrots and can be found with green or blue feathers The site explains that anyone who is thinking about getting a Ring-Necked Parakeet should know that they're pretty needy birds “Indian Ring-Necked Parakeets can make sweet tame pets but will not remain so if neglected,” the site warns because you will be hearing it loudly and often for many and their relationship never fails to make us smile 🐶SIGN UP to get “pawsitivity” delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends🐾🐾 LLC and respective content providers on this website Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website Home/Pet NewsRingneck Parakeet Caught Singing Opera Could Totally Win 'American Idol'What an impressive range Kids beg their parents for hamsters all the time can I pretty please get an Indian Ringneck Parakeet?”  In case you didn't know what you were missing, you need to watch this video from December 5th. One bird mom caught her Indian Ringneck Parakeet in mid-jam View directly on TikTok Yoshi the Ringneck can sing for me at any time Yoshi is one of several birds who live with their mom and she's the star of the bunch; she's everyone's favorite and even talk back when she feels like mom deserves it just like Yoshi will probably be auditioning for American Idol soon her mom actually had a blind audition for The Voice Yoshi adores the opera and makes her mom put opera videos on YouTube all the time so she can watch them Their angelic voices just resonate with her and what's more; they're educational When people get a talking/singing bird species, there are some instances where you can tell they weren't fully aware of what they were getting into If a mimicking bird hears something enough and that has the potential to be a little awkward Birds who can talk pick up on commonly heard words/phrases/noises in your home one parrot mom's bird has a gift for mimicking the “spit” sound of someone brushing their teeth Other birds learn how to sing songs they hear all the time and some of them might starting saying things like “wipe your feet!” or “no way!” They're unpredictable and hilarious Opera is a fun one, though, and a bird mimicking that does no harm to anybody. If you're looking for a way to keep your bird happy while you're gone, you should give this a try! Now supporting provider organizations that serve hundreds of thousands of patients nationwide Parakeet expands with multiple new provider deals and with $3 million in seed funding led by Canvas Ventures SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Parakeet Health a generative AI company focused on improving patient engagement for healthcare providers today announced the launch of its generative AI voice platform which transforms how healthcare providers handle patient communication at scale The company also secured $3 million in seed funding led by Canvas Ventures with participation from CoFound Partners StoryHouse Ventures and several prominent individual investors Parakeet Health addresses common frustrations patients face when communicating with healthcare providers a problem that disrupts the patient experience and can lead to revenue loss and staff burnout for provider organizations The platform automates contact center tasks and other repetitive administrative duties using AI voice agents to handle both outbound and inbound patient communications via calls and texts Parakeet's approach has already been proven to drive down patient acquisition costs by 2x (from $8.38 to $4.09) The platform also eliminates all missed calls a key challenge that can hinder provider growth The company's strong early proof points have contributed to it signing several major customers including virtual primary care provider Galileo which operates 24/7 in all 50 states; virtual genetic counseling leader Genome Medical; and multi-site skin care provider Medical Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery "Our practice has always embraced new technologies that allow us to be among the most innovative in the country and the generative AI voice solutions from Parakeet represent the latest opportunity for us," said Dr CEO of Medical Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery "We plan to deploy the technology to automate an increasing number of administrative tasks allowing our team to focus more on patient care we can provide a more efficient and seamless experience for our patients This technology not only enhances the operational side of our practice but also ensures that patients receive the timely ultimately improving the quality of care we deliver." Created by experienced leaders in healthcare delivery and AI Parakeet's founding team includes Co-founder and CEO Jung Park who previously held executive positions at One Medical and Epocrates; Co-founder Eric Mao who led product and engineering teams at Microsoft and Primer AI; and CTO Aaron Lee who was an engineering team leader at Rippling and Twitter Former Doximity CRO and One Medical SVP Paul Jorgensen currently serves as Strategic Advisor and also invested in the company.  and waiting for call-backs when communicating with our doctors these experiences are more the norm and not the exception for patients these everyday issues are far more damaging to healthcare practices than they seem especially when every dollar counts," said Park "Our platform is built with deep knowledge of the healthcare system giving providers an AI-powered voice agent that understands and supports their workflows and handles tasks that usually require entire teams." Most AI voice solutions currently used by healthcare providers to handle patient communication are based on rules and only handle specific tasks Parakeet's AI is powered by advanced large language models (LLMs) enabling it to manage a broad range of patient interactions while also seamlessly integrating with systems like EHRs "AI-generated voice is the next frontier in healthcare but not all teams are up to the task of building it," said Canvas Ventures Partner Rebecca Lynn Epocrates and PE-backed multi-site specialty practices Parakeet's CEO Jung Park is uniquely well-versed in what actually matters to providers to help them run a more efficient practice I'm very excited about what is in store for the Parakeet team—and the industry as a whole—as we see the power of voice take hold." Parakeet aims to expand by targeting health systems The company plans to use its seed funding to grow its team and further develop its technology [email protected] Do not sell or share my personal information: The results are in for SINWP Bird Photographer of the Year 2024 competition this contest has grown into a brilliant showcase of birdlife from all corners of the globe this year's competition has raised over £13,200 to aid crucial conservation efforts spearheaded by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) The 2024 contest drew over 2,300 entries from photographers around the world each capturing the incredible variety and splendour of the avian world captures a dramatic moment where a defensive parakeet clamps down on a monitor lizard’s tail The winning image was captured at Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur Punjabi has observed interactions between birds and predators particularly their behaviour when defending nests from threats like snakes and lizards This photograph was the result of four days spent watching the activity around a dry tree Second place went to Thomas McDonnell from Northern Ireland for his photo of a red grouse in flight taken in the North Antrim Hills near Ballycastle McDonnell spent months searching for the elusive grouse and eventually spotted two males and a female As the males called to each other and flew across the road near where he was parked McDonnell observed from his car before deciding to get out for a better angle allowed him to capture the perfect shot as one of the males flew directly at him to cross the road Third place got snatched up by Maggie Bullock from England with her stunning image entitled "Great Grey Owl Landing in Snow." Maggie captured this remarkable shot in Finland as the owl swooped down to pick up a dead mouse She managed to snap a few photos as the bird approached and landed against the snowy backdrop The competition judges also had their own favourites which were selected in the Judges' Choice Awards category voices get lost and some stories are never heard That’s especially true of our planet’s countless wild species: big and small For our growing team of writers and contributors those are the stories that matter most: we dedicate our time to them all day and every day nature is our niche – and we love it that way are passionate about these stories we tell Take your passion further by supporting and driving more of the nature news you know and love The winning images in this year's Bird Photographer of the Year Feast your eyes on the best wildlife photos of the year They're listed as an invasive species in the UK and have been known to disrupt native birds and bats Amateur wildlife photographers have been flocking to the north Belfast park to try to get a picture of its tropical new arrival Read more here ShareSave'Our lives have been turned upside down,' say farmersFrom April 2026, a 20% inheritance tax rate will apply to agricultural assets over a £1m threshold. 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'I was angry after my pregnancy concerns weren't listened to'Martina Tierney says her and her husbands concerns were ignored for many hours. 'I am here for my son who was killed on the A5'Several hundred people showed up at Belfast High Court as a legal challenge against the much-anticipated road begins. 'There is no such thing as one version of Irish America'Irish heritage is still strong in America, but new generations bring new perspectives. 'I'll give it my best shot'Keeva Neely, from Swatragh in County Londonderry will take on the gladiators after making it through the second episode. 'Are you going to be shipped back home?'Irish immigrants in the US say attitudes to immigration are changing due to President Donald Trump. Olympian swaps the pommel horse for the dance floorOlympic gold medal gymnast Rhys McClenaghan is participating in Irish broadcaster RTÉ's Dancing with the Stars. How do NI businesses feel about the prospect of US tariffs?NI is somewhere that could be uniquely affected by the impact of both EU and UK tariffs - but businesses say they are trying to stay positive. 'I was numb after my father's death' - Gary LightbodyLightbody's father, who had dementia, died in a nursing home in December 2019. The volunteer first responders saving livesThe Northern Ireland Ambulance Service alerted the local Killeeshil/Galbally Community First Responders who treated him and drove him to Craigavon Area Hospital. 'You'd get a plot quicker in Roselawn Cemetery than an allotment'Demand for allotments in Belfast is outweighing availability, with almost 1,000 keen gardeners on the waiting list for a plot. 'Speaking up for my non-verbal son felt amazing'BBC News NI hears from Glynn Brown, whose son Aaron was a patient at the County Antrim hospital and Dawn Jones who provided evidence about her son Timmy's abuse. 'I tried to give Stockdale £10 because he's my favourite player'Ollie Smyth has been diagnosed with the lifelong condition cystinuria. Timothy Flint and his family descended the Ohio in 1816 Flint noted that his “…children contemplated with unsated curiosity the flocks of parroquets fluttering among the trees when we came near the shore.” The parakeets that so fascinated Rev Flint’s children were the now-extinct Carolina Parakeet Flint also observed the birds occurred in large flocks fed on sycamore fruits and a variety of other seeds and fruits and favored roosting in cavities in sycamores a splendid mixture of burnished gilding and green on their heads wrote in 1819: “The parakeet is a beautiful bird; … its colours are green and it is a pleasing sight to see a flock of them suddenly wheel in the atmosphere and light upon a tree; their gaudy colours are reflected in the sun with the brilliance of the rainbow…” Immature birds lacked the yellow and red on the head and neck Early travelers noted flocks of hundreds of parakeets along the Mississippi and lower Missouri rivers A few travelers also noted the birds inland parakeets occurred year-round in forested habitats—many accounts are from mid-winter when visibility is better Several observers noted Carolina Parakeets fed extensively on the fruits of cockleburs a hated weed in crop fields and something few other birds could tackle Carolina parakeets remained quite common in Missouri through the 1850s and most of these were from forests on the Missouri River The last known specimen from Missouri dates from 1894 near Kansas City and rare sightings occurred until the early 1900s—1905 in Stone County and 1912 in Jackson County The decline of Carolina Parakeets seems to have happened in the late 1800s throughout its extensive range in the eastern U but small populations did persist in some locales The extinction of the species happened somewhat suddenly in the early 20th century with the last population persisting in Florida The last specimen in a museum from this population dates to 1904 but reports of them continued into the 1920s The big mystery is the cause of the parakeet’s demise but suitable mature forests still survived Unregulated hunters shot them for their decorative feathers and habit of eating fruit crops Some observers commented on their behavior of returning to flock members shot by hunters The pet trade accounted for loss of some individuals One hypothesis involves the preference by introduced honeybees for large tree cavities Competition for cavities and cutting of “bee trees” by humans might have limited nest sites in some locales Because the final demise of Carolina Parakeets happened so quickly a disease of domesticated poultry could be involved no other New World parrot is susceptible to such diseases at such a level Many suspect if the species persisted until recent decades the cause of its decline and the application of modern methods for recovering rare species could have saved it (WHP) — A hardware store in Littlestown got an unusual visitor this week Littlestown Ace Hardware took to Facebook Monday after a parakeet showed up at its front door Just a day after the store asked for help locating the bird's owner the parakeet named "Cher" was reunited with her family Thank you all for your overwhelming support to find her way back home She was well tended to and touched some hearts while she was here," Littlestown Ace Hardware said in a post Tuesday How did a parrot from the Himalayas become a common sight in southeast England has firmly established itself in parts of the country red beak and a pink and black ring around its neck Although originally native to the Indian subcontinent and sub-Saharan Africa, escaped parakeets have been sighted in the wild in England as far back as 1855. But feral populations weren't recorded here until 1968. Since then, numbers have soared: in the mid-1980s, there were about 500 in the UK; by the 1990s there are an estimated 32,000 parakeets (16,000 pairs) They mostly roost in urban areas, particularly in London and the southeast – but there are populations in the Midlands and Manchester and they have been spotted as far afield as Plymouth and Aberdeen From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox That's a question that has spawned plenty of urban myths. One has it that Jimi Hendrix released two caged parakeets in London's Carnaby Street in 1968 Another posits that London's first parakeets escaped from Shepperton Studios during filming of "The African Queen" the 1951 film starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn Or perhaps they escaped when debris from a plane crashed into the aviary of Syon Park in the 1970s, or when aviaries in Surrey were damaged by the "great storm" of 1987 There's even one theory that they escaped from George Michael's Hampstead townhouse during a break-in in the 1990s; the burglars supposedly wrecked his aviary sufficient over time to build up breeding populations One explanation for repeated releases is public health scares over psittacosis and the outbreaks were covered feverishly by the media it wasn't until the 1980s that the first large colony was established parakeets were considered an exotic novelty of southwest London they've spread rapidly: from Richmond and Kew to Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park Although parakeets are often thought to be tropical birds those in Britain are largely hardy creatures originating from the foothills of the Himalayas and are quite able to cope with British weather They're very happy roosting in the mosaic of gardens trees and older buildings found in urban areas devouring everything from seeds and fruit to flowers and tree bark and are enthusiastic grazers on bird feeders during the winter months They live for 30 or more years and mature early: they are prolific breeders and can breed from six months; their mating season starts earlier than that of most other birds They also have few predators – though one study showed that London's small but growing peregrine falcon population eats them in large numbers And scientists have expressed concern about their impact on native birds and aggressively defend their territory: they've been known to kill bats in tree hollows; and parakeets can strip trees of blossom in spring Farmers in Israel have reported them descending on fields in their hundreds where monk parakeets have caused fires by nesting on electricity pylons The worry among some scientists is that these issues may come further to the fore if (or more likely And for residents of areas with big parakeet populations the novelty of the birds' shrieking calls might quickly wear off A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com The bright green birds arrived in the 1970s and they have since become part of the urban landscape Sun 9 Jun 2024 10.00 CESTLast modified on Thu 6 Mar 2025 15.04 CETShareYet another opinion poll was published last week focusing on British people’s attitudes towards new arrivals on our shores and they won’t feature in the TV election debates with the poll revealing that the colourful creatures prompt reactions from downright hostility Almost 4,000 UK residents were interviewed for the online survey, published in the open-access journal NeoBiota. Researchers from Imperial College London, the Universities of Exeter and Brighton and the British Trust for Ornithology discovered that 90% were aware of the gaudy birds and just over half knew the name of the species which is also known as the rose-ringed parakeet The vast majority of people – roughly five out of six – consider parakeets aesthetically pleasing yet at the same time almost half have negative opinions about them screeching birds disturb the bucolic peace – hence the title of the research paper Age also makes a difference: older respondents are far more hostile to the birds than younger ones, who mostly accept their presence, especially in London Comments varied from “very colourful and interesting to see” to “a pain in the backside – so intrusively noisy” Newspaper columnist Hugo Rifkind once likened them to young men on a stag do Others welcome them as a splash of colour in what they see as nature-depleted urban environments I’ve been aware of these exotic birds for almost half a century only a decade after they first began to colonise Britain I caught sight of one near my childhood home To say it stood out among the drab suburban birdlife would be an understatement Ring-necked parakeets remained fairly scarce for decades but from the late 1990s onwards numbers began to rise exponentially we lived in a small house in the London suburbs The parakeets soon discovered our bird feeders and would happily stay put even as the children played only feet away from them Today I see – or more often hear – them almost anywhere I go in London They are also found in cities elsewhere in the UK but their preference for gathering each evening in large communal roosts has limited their spread – I’ve yet to see one in my adopted home of Somerset Jimi Hendrix was not responsible for the arrival of parakeets Photograph: Bruce Fleming/Rex FeaturesOver the years I’ve heard many myths about how they got here in the first place “They were released by a stoned Jimi Hendrix who let them out in London’s Carnaby Street…”; “They escaped from the film set of The African Queen…”; “They made a bid for freedom when their cage broke during the Great Storm of 1987…” But as Nick Hunt and Tim Mitchell point out in their entertaining and informative book The Parakeeting of London: An Adventure in Gonzo Ornithology all these apparently convincing stories are urban myths Hunt and Mitchell were actually the first to investigate people’s response to these exotic new arrivals speaking to those who were surprised to come across them in their local neighbourhood Free weekly newsletterThe planet's most important stories Get all the week's environment news - the good The truth about the parakeets’ presence here is rather a letdown: as popular cagebirds And because they live in the foothills of the Himalayas they are easily able to cope with the worst of the British winter There are genuine concerns about the birds’ ecological impact including the devastation that a flock can wreak on fruit crops London’s growing population of peregrines are delighted by the arrival of the parakeets direct flight makes them far easier to catch than the faster and more manoeuvrable pigeons suggests a UK breeding population of 12,000 pairs then by the end of this century parakeets would rival the wren as our commonest bird the signs are that their numbers have finally begun to level out conservationists are keeping a close eye on the expansion of the species Although I appreciate the ecological arguments against these birds and have some sympathy with the suggestion that they should be culled to avoid problems in the future when a hundred-strong flock streaks across the darkening sky like a green meteor I can’t help admiring their sheer chutzpah and be thankful for the way they brighten up our dull city lives Stephen Moss is an author and naturalist, based in Somerset. His latest book is Ten Birds that Changed the World (Guardian Faber, £16.99). To support the Guardian and Observer order your copy at guardianbookshop.com This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media along with many of his neighbors in Pine Island Cove and he crawled right into the palm of my hand," said Thunberg This parakeet that he has named Milton and taken in as his own "Somehow he got out and got caught in the wind and somehow showed up at my doorstep so I feel blessed to have him," said Thunberg A friendship that sparked amid a rebuilding effort and has brought the neighborhood to his house "There's been a bunch of people that have come through I had birdseed on my doorstep so I could feed them so the people around here are so great in Pine Island Cove." A community effort with a local animal clinic that also gave him a cage to keep him comfortable and safe Ronald says his neighbors have helped post Milton on social media in hopes of finding his owner Ronald says Milton is in great shape and he's kept him company in this trying time "I'm trying not to get too close to Milton because I'm gonna have to let him go," said Thunberg Fox 4 reached out to the CROW Clinic and they said that posting pictures of Milton on social media to find his owner is the best thing he can do for now A parakeet attacking a lizard has claimed first place at the Society of the International Nature and Wildlife Photographers Bird Photographer of the Year 2024 the competition raises money for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) a charitable organization based in the United Kingdom that focuses on the conservation of birds and other wildlife India won the competition for his photo of a parakeet biting a monitor lizard in a tree in Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur “This is a bird sanctuary where many migratory birds come here in winter and some resident birds breed here,” Punjabi explains “January is a very cold month and many times there is a mist and fog I have observed this behavior of birds attacking snakes and lizards “For the last 30 years I have been going here but this time I was lucky,” he continues “After observing the same tree for four days one morning a pair of parakeets along with some 10 or 12 birds started attacking the lizards SINWP Bird Photographer of the Year has raised £16,138 (over $20,000) for the RSPB since its inception This year saw 2,300 photographs submitted from across the world PetaPixel picks out some of the very best Commended images More information about the competition, including on how to enter next year, can be found here Become a PetaPixel Member and access our content ad-free Parakeet Coffee will open in South Austin this fall Sarah is a features reporter for the San Marcos/Buda/Kyle and Southwest Austin editions of Community Impact She graduated from Texas State University with a degree in journalism in May 2023 She worked for the school's student-run newspaper for three years in roles such as life and arts reporter Sarah was a health reporting intern for Texas Community Health News at Texas Public Radio in San Antonio listening to music and spending time with her family Conservation authorities and groups, along with Māori people, recently established a new population of the critically endangered kākāriki karaka Thirty-four kākāriki karaka (Cyanoramphus malherbi) were released on the predator-free Pukenui The parakeet was once common across New Zealand but is now considered the rarest mainland forest bird in the country According to the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) the kākāriki karaka nest and roost in holes in trees making them vulnerable to predators such as rats Declared extinct twice before being “rediscovered” in the 1980s wild populations today survive in a few forests around New Zealand The translocated kākāriki karaka were raised in the Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust (ICWT) and Orana Wildlife Park He told Mongabay that the captive breeding program consisted of 12 breeding pairs many that had been collected either as eggs or young chicks from wild sites “They are easily stressed and quite fussy so it’s been [a] continual learning process since the beginning of this programme to develop husbandry techniques and provide the right environment to encourage breeding in captivity,” Percasky said by email “We try and mimic a wild environment as much as we can.” In a statement members of the local Māori council Ōraka-Aparima Rūnaka accompanied the 34 birds as they were flown by helicopter to Pukenui The Ngāi Tahu consider kākāriki karaka as a taonga and their cultural and spiritual connection with the bird is recognized in their legislation representative of the organization Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Kākāriki Karaka “For me it is a very emotional process seeing these manu [birds], which have been born and raised in captivity, being released into the wild,” Couch-Lewis said in a statement adding that translocations like these are important so “one day we can engage with kakariki karaka again.” told Mongabay by email that all the released birds have colored bands for identification Nine female birds have also been fitted with radio transmitters so rangers can record observations and monitor breeding Beggs said the birds won’t be at risk since the island is predator-free and has limited access Traps and monitoring devices are also in place to check for new predators “Kākāriki karaka were once abundant and their decline is a message that we need to apply a holistic approach to restoring the health of te taiao [natural world] so that kākāriki karaka can thrive in the wild once again,” Couch-Lewis told Mongabay Banner image of a kākāriki karaka at Pukenui/Anchor Island The “fortress conservation” model is under pressure in East Africa as protected areas become battlegrounds over history and global efforts to halt biodiversity loss Mongabay’s Special Issue goes beyond the region’s world-renowned safaris to examine how rural communities and governments are reckoning with conservation’s colonial origins and trying to forge a path forward […] (The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story) staff at J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue in Neenah faced an overwhelming task—counting their newest arrivals it turned out to be 138 and not 100," Moyles said The woman had kept 138 parakeets in her home but they had quickly become too much to handle "She said they kept breeding and breeding and breeding To understand the challenges of caring for so many birds NBC 26 visited Roseberry Bird Rescue in Little Chute a nonprofit specializing in rehabilitating abused and neglected exotic birds explained how someone could end up with an unexpected flock this is fun.' Two parakeets turn into ten very quickly and that’s how they multiply so fast," Brasch said "They don’t have any emergency vets over here You have to go to Madison for that," Brasch said "BluePearl stopped seeing exotics around here two years ago and that is about $500 just to walk in the door for a bird that you maybe spent $20 on." That doesn't even include the cost of daily care plan to spend anywhere from $300 to $500 a year on your bird just for the one," Brasch said that means an annual cost between $41,400 and $69,000 in food "We’re so lucky that we have a facility where we can spring into action and take over 100 birds in a sitting," he said the birds are not yet available for adoption Moyles expects them to be ready within the next week or two We cover stories making an impact in Neenah. This is your home to stay on top of what is changing in Neenah and why it matters to you and your family. We want to hear from you! Click here and tell us what we should be covering in your neighborhood by 10/15/2024 Leave a Comment – Parakeet Health, a generative AI company focused on revolutionizing patient engagement, has announced the launch of its AI-powered voice platform and has secured $3M in seed funding to fuel its growth and development.  – This innovative solution aims to streamline patient communication for healthcare providers and enhancing the patient experience.  With 90% of patients still relying on the phone for appointment scheduling managing call volume remains a significant challenge for healthcare providers These issues can lead to patient dissatisfaction Parakeet’s solution addresses this need by automating tasks Parakeet’s founding team comprises experienced leaders in healthcare and AI including former executives from One Medical Parakeet’s platform leverages advanced large language models (LLMs) to automate a wide range of patient interactions The platform’s AI voice agents are available 24/7 and capable of handling both inbound and outbound calls and texts Parakeet has already demonstrated significant results in improving patient communication: Parakeet’s early success has attracted major customers “We’ve all experienced long holds especially when every dollar counts,” said  Parakeet’s Co-founder and CEO Jung Park “Our platform is built with deep knowledge of the healthcare system giving providers an AI-powered voice agent that understands and supports their workflows and handles tasks that usually require entire teams.” Tagged With: , Get in-depth healthcare technology analysis and commentary delivered straight to your email weekly Latest insightful articles delivered straight to your inbox weekly Submit a Tip or Pitch 2025 EMR Software Pricing Guide Copyright © 2025. HIT Consultant Media. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Andrew is a senior editor for The Spruce Pets many with the help of his cats Church (pictured) and Wally (shy) His writing has appeared on Popular Science Includes chelated minerals for calcium supplementation Includes omega fatty acids for healthy skin Approved by the Hagen Avicultural Research Institute (HARI) Hulled seeds coated with vitamins and minerals Includes 10 percent pellets for nutritional balance Cold-pressed ingredients to keep nutrition intact Grown on Oxbow's family-owned and -operated farms and amino acids that are missing from most seed-based mixes Many kinds of foods are great for parakeets and your birds can (and usually should) try several of them so you should figure out which foods your budgie actually enjoys and nuts are all options that are on the table but it’s important to make sure the specific items you select for your parakeet’s daily meals are not too heavy on fat and sugar It is crucial to balance out the protein-rich food sources with a suitable amount of amino acids but since cockatiels are larger than parakeets it is important that your parakeet doesn’t bite off more than it can chew Some seeds will be hard for them to crack or chew cockatiels also need and be able to consume more protein at once than parakeets so it’s important to reduce the recommended serving size of cockatiel food if you are going to give some to your budgies and nuts are fair game for parakeets and are usually recommended as an addition to their diet Parakeets enjoy a surprisingly wide range of recognizable foods: you should avoid giving your bird any human food that is high in calories Make sure you research specific items before you introduce them as part of a meal to ensure there are no toxic ingredients such as persin This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Hawaii —  Kauai County’s Office of Economic Development again reminds residents businesses and visitors to participate in a citizen science mapping initiative as concerns about the invasive rose-ringed parakeets continue to grow a tool created by the Kauai Rose-Ringed Parakeet Working Group has helped the public report sightings of the avian pests around the island The tool allows for population management made necessary because of the bird’s threat to Kauai’s agriculture and ecological balance over 170 reports have been made — 54% of them reported birds in flight while 18% observed birds roosting The majority of sightings were between Hanalei and Kalaheo The data collected allowed for the culling of over 2,000 parakeets in Wailua and Lihue The tool’s user-friendly interface allows all ages to access it and its real-time reporting provides critical information to scientists “This community science mapping effort has been instrumental in helping us identify high-activity areas enabling us to plan and execute targeted culling efforts effectively,” said Office of Economic Development Director Nalani Brun in a release “We hope that our community will continue to engage with the online survey ensuring that community-driven data remains up to date This ongoing participation will enhance our ability to address the invasive population and protect Kauai’s ecosystems and economy We thank all of you in advance for helping us help ourselves,” Brun said Anyone can report rose-ringed parakeet sightings online For more information, the public can contact OED’s Agriculture Specialist Niki Kunioka-Volz at 808-241-4951 or email nkvolz@kauai.gov If you live in Illinois and suddenly hear a voice above your head asking for a cracker,  I think I know what's going on A new video share proves that an Illinois neighborhood has been completely taken over by parakeets This new YouTube short doesn't mention where in Illinois It's definitely Illinois based on the title and it's definitely a bunch of very loud parakeets squawking up a storm These birds became a topic on the Illinois sub-Reddit What is this bird? Seen in Chicagobyu/Joel_Hirschorrn inbirding There is a feral population of quaker/monk parakeets in Chicago, Illinois and has been for years. There used to be even more parakeets in Hyde Park If you live in Illinois and suddenly hear a voice above your head asking for a cracker,  we think I know what's going on.\nRead More These birds became a topic on the Illinois sub-Reddit What is this bird? Seen in Chicagobyu/Joel_Hirschorrn inbirding There is a feral population of quaker/monk parakeets in Chicago, Illinois and has been for years. There used to be even more parakeets in Hyde Park Brazil — The golden parakeet is as noisy as it is brightly colored three of these medium-sized parrots screech and squawk as they peer down to get a better look at biologist Marcelo Vilarta as he observes them they’re striking birds with their vibrant yellow plumage and green wingtips distinct against the Amazonian vegetation Yet it’s these colors that have put their population at risk of extinction have reduced the population of golden parakeets (Guaruba guarouba) to fewer than 10,000 wild individuals — a tiny number for a large biome like the Brazilian Amazon the only place on Earth where they’re natively found with records also in the states of Maranhão and Amazonas with the first flock of golden parakeets released into the wild in January 2018 in Utinga State Park in Belém the capital of Pará and the host city of the COP30 climate summit in 2025 the birds had been locally extinct for more than 100 years The inquisitive golden parakeets watching Vilarta from the tree are three of the 50 that have been released here so far “The idea of the project is to reduce the vulnerability of the golden parakeet population and create a new wild one here in an area where they were already extinct,” Vilarta says Habitat loss from deforestation and wildlife trafficking in particular continue to be significant threats to the golden parakeet The illegal pet trade was more of a threat in the 1980s and 1990s a curator of birds at the University of São Paulo’s Museum of Zoology (MZUSP) who works with the golden parakeet reintroduction project But nowadays people breed golden parakeets in captivity where “they can be legally acquired all over the world” from authorized breeders Yet the demand for exotic and rare birds as pets “Wildlife trafficking is the third-largest illegal commercial activity in the world, second only to drugs and weapons,” Julia Trevisan, a biologist and wildlife coordinator at U.K.-based campaign group World Animal Protection Buying trafficked birds can be cheaper than through legal channels and traffickers are lured in by the potential high profits A hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) can fetch up to 90,000 reais (about $16,500) An online search found websites selling golden parakeets for up to 13,000 reais (about $2,400) Most of the trafficked birds are sold within Brazil Traffickers often capture golden parakeets by cutting down whole trees with nests in them and collecting the surviving chicks It’s a devastating practice for the wild population “The birds that survive can’t produce again because their nest was destroyed,” Vilarta says “They need very specific tree cavities to make nests has successfully bred golden parakeets over the last 20 years to boost the species’ numbers and in 2017 teamed up with IDEFLOR-Bio to reintroduce the species back into the wild Belém was chosen for the reintroduction to bring back “a species to a place where it had already disappeared,” Vilarta says Utinga State Park in the heart of Belém is a conservation unit and the largest green space in the city sprawling across an area of 1,393 hectares (3,442 acres) of largely preserved natural Amazonian environment The area is guarded by both private security and public environmental police reducing the possibility of trafficking and deforestation The program’s coordinators set up two aviaries in the middle of the park where 10 golden parakeets are currently being prepared to be reintroduced into the wild Most have come from the breeding program at Lymington but some were rescued from trafficking or from being kept as pets the golden parakeets go through a period of adaptation and acclimatization The nursery has vegetation similar to what the golden parakeets will find in the wild and they’re taught to recognize and consume local foods They’re also trained to recognize predators with Vilarta and his team placing live snakes safely near their enclosure The researchers then assess the golden parakeets’ reactions to the snakes as well as to local birds of prey that hunt in the area and give them a passing mark if they collectively emit alarm calls as the predators approach Environmental education for the wider public especially at schools and universities and for park visitors also plays a key role in long-term protection of the species “The project has intensified its education to raise awareness of the importance of this species for the city of Belém because it’s this bird that helps propagate the fruit species typical of our city,” Monica Furtado da Costa Educational activities include distributing booklets about the golden parakeet to students and hosting an exhibition about the species in Belém’s Porto do Futuro Park A study published in 2021 about the project found that “the released birds were very successful in finding and consuming native foods and one pair managed to reproduce successfully.” The project has managed to reintroduce 50 individuals into the wild to date reintroducing all the golden parakeets — especially the ones previously captured — isn’t always easy A female golden parakeet balances on the mesh netting inside the enclosure curiously watching Vilarta talking nearby and edges closer to him raised illegally in Pará before the owner surrendered her for the project “You can even talk to her and she responds,” Vilarta says Another parrot clings to the netting nearby collects the bird using a long pole and places him near a nest box to shelter from the searing mid-morning sun Before being rescued and handed into the project this particular bird had been kept in a cage for 15 years and never learned how to fly Vilarta says that reintroducing these two to the wild will be challenging due to their inability to adjust to living outside of captivity “At least these two can be happy and safe here,” he says Currently, 10 of the 50 wild birds reintroduced remain in the main reintroduction site in Utinga State Park and visit the enclosure daily to socialize with the captive golden parakeets and to eat at the bird feeders that Vilarta leaves out for them He spends every day here next to the enclosures monitoring both the captive and wild populations The other 40 that were previously released have dispersed to other regions each golden parakeet is fitted with a ring on its legs and a collar around its neck to help keep track of the population The radio collars help monitor the individual birds up to a point but they’re not effective over long distances it’s hard to keep track of them,” Vilarta says The plan now is to expand the size of the current aviaries to accommodate more golden parakeets and then release another 50 into the wild over the next two years which the researchers and conservationists say they hope will go on to create their own populations across Belém and beyond “I hope there will be more chicks soon because they now need to increase their population naturally,” Vilarta says “At some point we can stop releasing new birds here and the population can reestablish itself naturally.” Banner image: A flock of four golden parakeets flies through Belém’s Utinga State Park the birds have returned to ths city following dedicated conservation efforts CORRECTION (8/5/2024): An earlier version of this article wrongly identified Monica Furtado da Costa as the director at Ideflor-Bio instead of biodiversity manager at the organization Bird populations are mysteriously declining at an Amazon park in Ecuador & beyond Vilarta, M. R., Moraes, T. T., Gondim, M. F. N., Lobato, C., Costa, M. N. R. F., Oliveira, F. A., & Silveira, L. F. (2024). Feeding ecology of reintroduced golden parakeets (Guaruba guarouba, Psittacidae) in a protected area in the Amazon Forest. Diversity, 16(3). doi:10.3390/d16030188 Vilarta, M. R., Wittkoff, W., Lobato, C., Oliveria, R. A., Pereira, N. G. P., & Silveira, L. F. (2021). Reintroduction of the golden conure (Guaruba guarouba) in northern Brazil: Establishing a population in a protected area. Diversity, 13(5). doi:10.3390/d13050198 FEEDBACK: Use this form to send a message to the author of this post