Last Updated on by Mitch Rezman
A “neotropical city” refers to a city located within the Neotropical region, which encompasses the tropical areas of South America, Central America, southern and central Mexico, and the Antilles.
How Do Parrots Live and Eat in Cities?
Cities are new environments for many animals, and only some can adapt well.
Parrots are one of those animals because they can eat many different foods and live in many places, from cold areas to dry deserts.
Scientists wanted to learn how parrots live in cities, so they studied White-fronted Parrots in two cities in Mexico—Xalapa and Coatepec—from 2013 to 2016.
They also watched six different parrot species in Xalapa for 13 months to see what they ate.
The study found that White-fronted Parrots were more common in Xalapa than in Coatepec, and their population stayed about the same over the years.
In Xalapa, about 30–41% of the food parrots ate came from plants that weren’t originally from the area.
The most common food they ate was seeds. The number of parrot species and the amount they shared food sources was highest at the end of the dry season (April–May).
Among all the parrots, White-fronted Parrots ate the most different types of plants, followed by Monk Parakeets and Green Parakeets.
However, White-fronted Parrots mostly ate two main types of plants—Grevillea robusta and Ficus aurea.
Scientists found that these three parrot species often ate the same food at the same times of the year, especially in February, April, June, and September.
White-fronted Parrots have successfully moved into cities both on their own and with the help of humans.
The Monk Parakeet, which comes from another country, is only found in one park in Xalapa and hasn’t spread much yet.
In Xalapa, about 55% of the trees and plants are not originally from the area. Some of these plants grow fruit and flowers for longer periods, which may help parrots survive and thrive in the city.
Okay, so picture this: parrots, right? You’d think they’d be all about jungles and rainforests, but nope! Turns out, they’re pretty good at city living. Like, surprisingly good.
Basically, scientists were like, “Hey, how are these colorful birds making it in concrete jungles?” They picked these White-fronted Parrots in Mexico, specifically in two cities, Xalapa and Coatepec, and just kinda watched them for a few years. It’s like bird reality TV, but for science!
What they found was pretty cool. Xalapa was parrot central, way more than Coatepec. And these parrots? They weren’t picky eaters!
They’d chow down on all sorts of stuff, especially seeds. A lot of what they ate wasn’t even from plants native to the area – like, they were eating the city’s “imported” food, which is hilarious.
They also noticed that at the end of the dry season, when things get tough, all the parrot species in Xalapa were basically having a big potluck, sharing food sources. It’s like, “Alright guys, times are lean, let’s all just share the snacks!”
The White-fronted Parrots were the most adventurous eaters, trying all sorts of plants. But they had their favorites, like this Grevillea robusta and Ficus aurea.
It’s like their go-to fast food joints. And get this, they’d often be at the same “restaurants” as other parrots, like Monk and Green Parakeets, at the same time. Talk about a bird social scene!
The coolest part? These parrots are basically city slickers now. Some of them moved in on their own, and some probably got a little help from humans.
And because cities have so many plants that aren’t native, but grow fruit and flowers for longer, it’s like a never-ending buffet for them.
Then there’s the Monk Parakeet, which is like the new kid on the block, only in one park. They haven’t really branched out yet. Maybe they’re still figuring out the bus routes or something.
So, yeah, parrots in cities? They’re adaptable, they’re resourceful, and they’re basically living their best urban lives, munching on whatever’s available and having big bird parties at the end of the dry season. Who knew?
Written by Mitch Rzman and the Windy City Parrot content team
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