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Monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus)

In Australia, escaped or released monk parakeets are a potential invasive pest, with escape incidents reported along the east coast but no wild breeding records reported. Their bulky communal nests can damage utility structures and create electrical faults, while established populations elsewhere have caused agricultural and other economic concerns.

Key facts

Type: Pest animal, bird.

Native to: South America.

Established in: .

Other names: Monk parrot, Quaker parrot, Argentine parakeet.

Best time to act: Check potential nesting structures year-round and report birds or nest-building promptly, before nests become established.

Identification

  • A medium-sized, stocky green parrot with a grey face and breast.
  • It has a long, tapered tail and a stout orange bill.
  • Blue flight feathers may show when the bird is flying.
  • It builds large communal nests from branches and twigs, sometimes on trees, communication towers or utility poles.
  • Look-alike: Other green parrots may look similar at a distance; check for the grey face and breast, orange bill and long tail together.

Where it lives

In Australia, escaped birds may be seen near urban areas, parks, farmland and open country with trees or human-made structures that could support large stick nests, particularly along the east coast.

Why it matters

  • Large nests on communication towers and electric utility poles can damage structures and cause short-circuits or power outages.
  • Established populations elsewhere have been associated with agricultural damage and other economic concerns.
  • If populations establish and spread, they may compete with native birds for resources and nesting sites.

How it spreads

  • Escape or release from captivity can introduce birds to new areas; the species is widely kept in the pet trade.
  • If birds breed and establish, natural dispersal can extend their range from occupied areas.

Control methods

  • Report sightings, suspected escapes and nest-building to the relevant state or territory biosecurity or wildlife authority, and provide photographs and location details if possible.
  • Do not capture birds, destroy nests or use poisons yourself; wildlife rules and permit requirements vary between jurisdictions.
  • Where control is authorised, use trained operators and approved, humane capture or removal methods, and assess nests for occupancy before any removal.
  • Check treated sites regularly for returning birds or new nest-building, and continue follow-up in coordination with the relevant authority.

Site hygiene and welfare

  • Do not transport or release live birds, eggs or nest material to another site; clean tools and equipment after handling nest debris.
  • Use methods set out in the national model codes of practice and standard operating procedures for the species.
  • Coordinate control with neighbours and the local government biosecurity plan, as isolated effort is quickly undone by reinvasion.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: General biosecurity duty. Not prohibited matter in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Regulated pest animal. It is a regulated pest animal in Victoria. Keeping it is allowed, but releasing it into the wild is prohibited.
  • South Australia: Declared animal. Declared animals have legal restrictions, which can cover keeping, moving, selling and releasing them, and landowners may be required to control them.
  • Western Australia: Declared pest (C1), prohibited. C1 Exclusion: to be kept out of WA, or out of the parts of WA where it is not established. Report any sighting to DPIRD. It must not be brought into WA (prohibited organism).
  • Tasmania: Not a declared pest. Not a declared pest or prohibited matter in Tasmania. Importing animals is still controlled by Biosecurity Tasmania.
  • Northern Territory: Prohibited entrant. Wildlife that is not native to the NT is a prohibited entrant, so you need an NT permit to bring it in or keep it. Report any wild sighting to the NT Government.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

Sources