Abstract

MUNOZ-JIMENEZ, José Luis  and  ALCANTARA-CARBAJAL, José Luis. The Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) on the Colegio de Postgraduados Campus: an invasive species?. Huitzil [online]. 2017, vol.18, n.1, pp.38-52. ISSN 1870-7459.

Outside its historical range in South America, the Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) is considered an invasive species. Although recorded in the wild in Mexico since 1999, there are few studies of its impact on agriculture and native birds. From April to August 2015, we evaluated both impacts in agricultural parcels of the Montecillo Campus of Colegio de Postgraduados, Texcoco, State of Mexico, Mexico. We conducted band transects, focal observations on nests, and direct (on corncobs) as well as indirect assessments (polls) of the damage to the corn crops by parrots and other birds, and collected behavioral records. The approximately colony size was 35 individuals, and we found eight nests very much localized; furthermore, the average parakeet flock was of 2.59 individuals, and our observations show that their interactions - particularly aggressive behaviors (χ² = 8.2, df = 3, P = 0.05) - were intraspecific. According to the polls, the parrots damage mainly maize fields and apricot plantations, although to a lesser extent than other birds, which altogether produce an overall crop damage from 8% to 50%. Moreover, 403 ears of corn (11% of the total assessed) showed bird damage, but only 57 of these ears (14%) were definitely damaged by parrots. The average corn without damage was higher compared to the undamaged (t = -4.99; P = 0.02). Our data suggest that on the Campus, the Monk Parakeet is an invasive exotic species that causes marginal agricultural damage; however, we found no negative interaction with native birds.

Keywords : Parrots; birds; pests; crops; corn; State of Mexico.

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