Parrots in the City: One Bird's Struggle for a Place on the Planet

The book tells of the struggle of the Wild Quaker Parakeet to survive in the wild. Part of their problem is they build large colony nests on power grids. The electric company needs to take down the nests so lots of baby birds are lost. But thanks to some wonderful bird loving people like the Davey's and many Bird Clubs in Florida and Illinois and states that allow Quaker Parakeets, the baby birds are put in foster homes to be hand fed, because they cannot be turned loose in the wild again. The book "Parrots in the City" is an easy reading book and it only took me 5 hours to read. It reminded me of "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill" by Mark Bittner, because both stories are doing all they can to give wild parrots a chance to survive in the wild in the United States of America.

I received my copy and I'm impressed. I heard about this book in its very first stages. I know how much work went into it: the interviews, the research, the refining and editing, to make it the best book it could be. Parrots in the City is a book that finally addresses the idea of wild Quakers as they are, not as they are rumored to be. In a well-researched, well-thought out, well-documented book that goes into the history of the extinct Carolina Parakeet along side the flourishing wild Quaker (Monk) parrot, the authors confront the situation with thoughtful insight. It tells a compelling story that should help the plight of wild Quakers, and wild parrots in general, if people just take the time to read it and understand what it has to say. Quaker lovers should read it. Those who think Quakers are a problem in the wild should read it, too. Mattie Sue, Jon-Mark and JoAnn Davey can all be very proud of their efforts

I am not a bird owner, and my naivety with the subject meant I didn't even know what questions to ask about parrots before I read this book. I found Parrots in the City to be a well-researched book about Quaker parrots, and was a great insight in to parrots. This book gives an excellent, concise account of the history of parrots around the world, how they were reintroduced to the USA, and lists some accounts for specific states, as well as state-by-state restrictions. Internet discussion groups and their URLs are mentioned, and can be helpful for someone interested in the subject to link up with active parrot enthusiasts. Particularly interesting was the urban life of the birds, and how their nest can affect utility power grids. I learned there are alternatives to exterminating birds. There was a section that listed words and phrases commonly used by parrots such as Gimme for food, gotta go to work when humans are dressed up and leaving, etc. I can recommend it because the book covers how we got to Parrots in the City and most importantly, how to co exist with them.

I was thrilled when I first heard that Mattie Sue Athan, Jon-Mark Davey and Joann Davey were teaming up to write about wild Quakers. Jon-Mark and Joann are long time Quaker watchers and they run the Quakerville.com website. Mattie Sue Athan is a name more familiar to bird lovers, as she has written a series of wonderful books on parrot behavior and training. I could not wait for the book to be published. I was not disappointed. The book contains a wealth of information - both scientific concepts and personal observations - that explain why Quaker Parrots will never descend in vast flocks to decimate American agriculture. Some of the more interesting and persuasive sections are the sections explaining the concept of K-select species vs. R-select species and the information on how Quaker colonies fail. The larger ethical issue of how humans treat "inconvenient" wildlife is also examined. Should we exterminate animals that get in our way? What is the most dangerous invasive species? (The answer might surprise you.) The book is essential reading for parrot lovers, bird lovers, power company workers, farmers and legislators (at local, state and federal levels).

I found Parrots in the City to be a well-researched document on the plight of the Quaker parrot, a bird from South America, which, according to the authors, is rapidly establishing itself in US cities without displacing any native fauna. Although I've never been particularly fond of this gray and green little bird, I found myself enamered with its ingenuity and perserverance in the face of human-caused adversity. Of particular interest is the parrot's propensity for building nests around power grids and the book's suggestions on how the two can and should develop a symbiotic relationship. The book is interesting without being preachy. By the time I finished reading it, I was convinced it should be required reading for employees of power companies everywhere, as well as students of biology.