Photo: Kevin Jones / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Parrots

Monk Parakeet

Myiopsitta monachus

Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) — Parrots & Cockatoos of South America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 17 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Canada Birds of the United Kingdom Birds of the United States Birds of New South Wales Birds of British Columbia Birds of Ontario Birds of Quebec Birds of England Birds of Buckinghamshire

By family

Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Australia Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Canada Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of the United Kingdom Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of the United States Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of New South Wales Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Ontario Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of England

See what's near you right now

The Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) is a member of the Psittacidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 120 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Psittaciformes
Family Psittacidae African & New World Parrots
Genus Myiopsitta
Species monachus

Where it lives

Southeastern

South America

Quick facts

Weight: 120 g
Diet: Omnivores
Family: Psittacidae
Order: Psittaciformes
Habitat: Urban & human-modified

How to identify

Similar birds

Vulnerable

Ochre-marked Parakeet

Pyrrhura cruentata

Near Threatened

Cliff Parakeet

Myiopsitta luchsi

Least Concern

Sulphur-breasted Parakeet

Aratinga maculata

Least Concern

Peach-fronted Parakeet

Eupsittula aurea

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Monk Parakeet is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Behaviour

A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Monk Parakeet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) is a species of bird in the Psittacidae family, part of the order Psittaciformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA se.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 120 g, with a wing length of about 14.7 cm and a tail of around 14.1 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.7 million km².

Songs & calls

Monk Parakeet — Alarm call, call, flight call

Recorded by Tanguy Loïs Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Monk Parakeet?

The Monk Parakeet is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 120 g.

Where does the Monk Parakeet live?

The Monk Parakeet is found across South America with a range covering SA se, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.

What family does the Monk Parakeet belong to?

The Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) belongs to the Psittacidae family, in the order Psittaciformes.

What does the Monk Parakeet eat?

The Monk Parakeet is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Does the Monk Parakeet migrate?

The Monk Parakeet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Monk Parakeet endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Monk Parakeet make?

1 real field recording of the Monk Parakeet — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Monk Parakeet's range?

The Monk Parakeet has a mapped global range of about 2.7 million km².