Scientists Track the Invasive Monk Parakeet from Europe to North America

Monk parakeets have invaded Europe and North America, creating massive communal nests on top of utility poles. Now, scientists have traced the origins of these birds and have found that many appear to be from the same small area in South America.

Monk parakeets are considered to be one of the best speaking parrots. Needless to say, this makes them popular in the pet trade. Because of the importation of these birds, feral populations of monk parakeets began appearing in the United States in the 1960s and in Europe in the 1980s.

The researchers tackled the global invasion history of the monk parakeet in this latest study. The scientists used mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite genotype data in order to examine the levels of genetic variation in monk parakeets and to reconstruct the history of the parrot invasion. They found that the North American and European monk parakeets have lower genetic diversity in their invasive populations compared to the genetic diversity in native populations. This raises interesting questions about why two separate invasions have similar genetic patterns.

"One possibility is that these invasive populations may be under similar selection pressures," said Elizabeth Hobson, co-author of the new study, in a news release. "Most of the invasive populations are restricted to urban and suburban habitats, which may be selecting for some key traits that increase fitness of individuals in those environments."

The findings reveal a bit more about these invasive parrots and show a bit more about why these birds have been so successful. So far, the monk parakeet has been documented in at least 14 U.S. states with the highest concentrations in Florida and Texas.

 The findings are published in the journal Molecular Ecology.

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).