Bird Guide

QUAKER

Quakers or Monk Parakeets or Monk parrots or Grey-breasted parakeet are also known as monk, gray-breasted, green, or the Montevideo parakeets.

They are medium-size parrots about 11-13 inches long and weigh around 90-150 grams.

There are three different mutations--cinnamon, yellow and blue.

The nests in which they live are very unique since they can possess many different "rooms" and weigh as much as 90 pounds.

Quakers are opportunistic birds, able to adapt easily in almost any environment. It is this reason that they are banned in many states.

The first successful breeding of the Quakers was in Vienna in 1867, and since then they have been captivity owners everywhere. The first mention of a color mutation, the blue was in the 40' in Belgium.

Quakers are active and vocal birds, and their vocalizations can be loud at times.

They can talk and have clear voices for their size. The talking ability will vary from individual to individual, however they really aren't known for their talking ability.

They are both affectionate and playfully amusing.

They tend to be light chewers, preferring to disassemble things rather than destroy them,

They are not sexually dimorphic and need to be sexed either surgically, by DNA analysis, or by fecal hormone levels. Both sexes make good talkers and wonderful pets.

Quakers should be bought as young handfed babies since they tend to make the best pets. Age can usually be determined by two methods. Youngsters usually have short tails and the skin around their eyes is usually whiter in color.

are friendly to the entire family, while others will go out of their way to attack certain family members. With proper training this can be avoided. 

Some states prohibit the selling or owning of these wonderful birds. These states include California, Hawaii, Connecticut, Kentucky, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Georgia, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Wyoming. In Ohio, the law requires the wings to be kept trimmed. In Georgia importation into the state is illegal. Kansas forbids transportation into the state as well as possession of these birds. However any birds owned before Feb. 1, 1978 are exempt. In Virginia, only Quakers with closed bands can be bought, sold, or bred. In Colorado they are illegal, however if they are microchipped or have a leg band you can own them. In Missouri they are legal but breeders may be affected by recent laws. In Vermont they are legal but all imports must be microchipped or have a leg band. New Jersey requires permits with strict criteria. In Maine a permit is required to own them. In New Hampshire a permit is required to import them. At this writing more states are considering similar legislation regarding the selling, owning, and breeding of these birds. The regulations change often, so contact the fish and wildlife department of the state(s) you may be going to, through or are now residing in, before transporting or purchasing a Quaker.

Quakers, if they escape from captivity are very prolific breeders and form large flocks. These large flocks tend to destroy crops. Your birds' wings need to be kept trimmed on a regular basis. Laws also pertain to people who already own these birds moving into the restrictive states. So if you do own one and are considering a move into one of the prohibited states, find a good home for your bird before you move.

There are many feral flocks of Quakers living all over the United States. Alabama, Florida, Delaware, Connecticut, Illinois, Georgia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Ohio, Oregon, New Jersey, New York, California, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Washington D.C. are just some of the states that have established feral flocks.

The average life span of Quakers is between 10-20 years, though there have been Quakers who have lived for 30+ years.

Like some other birds, Quakers can bond very closely to one person and be nippy to others. Other Quakers I have known were definitely family birds. They enjoy affection and love to be preened.

Quakers are water loving birds and enjoy showers often. Provide either a shallow bowl for them to bathe in or mist them.

They are very curious and are normally very good eaters, accepting new foods easily. They need to be provided with a healthy varied diet. In addition to their seed or pellet mix, offer them a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and meat. They enjoy cooked chicken bones that they can crack open and eat the marrow.

They also can be very territorial especially around their cages.

Some Quakers love to sleep in hanging beds or "happy huts", so they should be provided.

In the wild Quakers build huge complex nests that are sometimes shared with other animals, such as opossums. These nests may have many different chambers or rooms in them. They contain many different families. While most other species of parrots will only use a nest or nest like environment during breeding season the Quaker on the other hand uses this nest year long. This may give them more security and protection.

Quakers tend to be very protective of their environment, so the owner needs to be aware of this to prevent being bitten. Establishing a good relationship and consistent handling is a must.

What's in a name? Well it is believed that the name of Quaker parrots was given to them because of a particular behavior known as quaking or tremors when baby Quakers are feeding or begging for food. In adult birds this quaking occurs either during courting or if a bird is ill. The name "Monk" is due to their coloration of the grey on their breast, throat and forehead.