Hootie the Owl Can't Stop Quaker Parrots

Oldmaidcatwoman
4 years ago

Our neighbors have a Hootie that wasn't very effective at protecting their garden either. I'll have to tell them to try the orange cape--maybe it will work for them.

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Outbackjack93
4 years ago

what a great idea andf although quakers are comon pets they shouldnt be protected as they are an ivasive species

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daryl b.
3 years ago

well if the people had not let them loose outside they would not be having this problem. it was cruel for the people to just turn them out

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Magicpaperclip
4 years ago

I think it's ridiculous that some lunatics want them to be protected. They are an INTRODUCED species and should be removed. Plus they do a lot of monetary damage. Just because an animal might be cute doesn't mean it's harmless.

I like birds very much. I have one, but I will not let emotions interfere with good judgment.

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Tara V.
4 years ago

Super Hootie! Now that's a hoot!

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Kbehrendt
4 years ago

Ahh, nature trumps engineering once again. Making them a protected species though? Seriously? Stop removing the nests? Come on, not only is it expensive and cuts out power to the city, IT'S FRYING THEM. The power company is not trying to kill them, the lines are burning up their nests. If the activists had half a brain between them they'd be trying to help find a new safer option for the birds, not trying to keep them there.

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Jeanette2562
4 years ago

put houses up for them it might work ya can make them out of wood ,plastic or even a old coffie can just drill a hole in the side glue a perch to it an ther ya are

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Mary G.
4 years ago

Happy to read that New York City and Con Edison are taking a humane approach to dealing with the monk parrots and the problems they present, but Hootie the Owl is obviously not the answer nor is just replacing the $20,000 transformers. The City should run a contest offering a cash prize for the best idea that actually works. Surely always innovative New Yorkers can come up with something.

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Sue L.
4 years ago

Wow what I learn from reading these articles.

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dj h.
4 years ago

Why can't they just find a way to cover & protect the transformers?

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Nick & Ashlee K.
4 years ago

oh my goodness, how silly is that!

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daryl b.
4 years ago

if they can't get rid of the pigons why would they expect to get rid of the monks

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Jean K.
4 years ago

The parakeets might be causing problems but they are nothing like the squirrels that somehow get into the boxes on the poles and blow them up. It sounds like a bomb going off and your house is without power for a very long time after one of these suicidal rodents gets into your electrics.

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karla w.
4 years ago

I am glad they are not going to hurt them

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Denise L.
4 years ago

I'm so glad that they are not resorting to killing these birds, as it's not their fault that there out of their true native habitat. Super Hootie LOL!

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Debby
4 years ago

wonder if they can create and coax them into homes.. where they won't be on the electric.. causing problems for people and for themselves. obviously they can't chase them away.. so give them a home of their own

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Heather M.
4 years ago

Interesting...

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Trina D.
4 years ago

We have the Monk Parakeets in New Orleans. They are beautiful birds! Leave the birds alone and find another way!! It is an introduced species but that is not their fault. They deserve the right to nest. Find another way, please!!

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Renee M.
4 years ago

we don't have that problem here in Baytown, TX but I would love to see a flock of them (not at the cost of my a/c though).

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maria h.
4 years ago

I would love to have some colorful birds around too.Most of the birds here are gray and brown.

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Kelly
4 years ago

My parents live in Harlingen & they have the Mexican Red-Headed Amazons everywhere. A flock of them is pretty amazing & very noisy.

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Norrie
4 years ago

We live in S. Calif and also have these parrots around, I love those little noisy guys, they fly over our home twice a day, I miss them if they're late but wouldn't like them messing with my power!

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Traci B.
4 years ago

Interesting article.

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maria h.
4 years ago

I think nesting platforms are the way to go.

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Momba
4 years ago

It will be interesting to see the outcome of "Super Hootie."

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Gretchen S.
4 years ago

Maybe they could build some nesting platforms that the parakeets would like even better than the transformers.

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Kelly
4 years ago

Good idea. They have worked in other places for other types of birds.

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Stacy H.
4 years ago

Maybe they needed to be captured and relocated. Sounds like a losing battle if they are that smart.

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Lourie H.
4 years ago

It is a shame that the birds use the wires to make their nests instead of finding trees. Hope they do not resort to getting rid of them.

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di
4 years ago

Having been around a quaker, I can state that they are pretty smart and they observe and learn from their environment and what they are exposed to. I hope that they can come up with a solution. The casino have, as well as the airports, play the bird calls, cackling. It is annoying and seems to work. I can see why some states have out law them on the pet list.

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daryl b.
4 years ago

first i think it is a riot that the birds keep out smarting them. i have always wondered how they became adapted to the winters in ny since they are from argentina. but they have and since they are not preditors i hope they can come up with an idea that workds and does not harm them. i hope the will fly the experts in to find out how they deal with the problem but do not understand why they have to come here and will not tell thier secrete. if people would stop just turning birds they don't want loose outside there would not be this problem

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Alvin & Gretchen
4 years ago

If these birds come from Argentina in the first place how can they be placed on the endangered species list? If a big fire is caused by their nests it could cost millions and put people out of their homes and business.

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Michelle W.
4 years ago

I wonder, could they build some kind of enclosure for these birds and then capture and put them there? It would be safer them and the bird!

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Flowerhead910
4 years ago

It would be nice if a special area could be built where they would build their nests and be able to live in a colony.

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Patricia C.
4 years ago

Hootie the owl, what a neat idea.

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Sheryl J.
4 years ago

This was a fun story. Maybe if the city built small perches that were above the power lines the birds would build their nests on them and they would be off the lines? Just a thought on the "if you can't beat em join em" line

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Kris
4 years ago

I do hope the solution includes having other places for these birds to perch and they don't end up trying to kill them.

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Lynn
4 years ago

I have never heard of the Quaker parrots...they sure look pretty from the pic...I hope they will find a solution that won't harm the birds.

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Cindy C.
4 years ago

Hope it all works out. I love parrots! They are such beautiful, interesting animals!

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Kris
4 years ago

I agree. Hopefully they come up with a solution that benefits both the people and the parrots.

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Betty W.
4 years ago

we have wild ones in Chicago too. large colonies. Ocassionally we see them here in the south suburbs,

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Mary C.
4 years ago

Quaker parrots are super smart, I own and love these birds! I'd hate to see anything happen to them, and their expensive!

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Lherbertson
4 years ago

They just have to keep trying things

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Jean C.
4 years ago

It's gonna take more than a "bird brain" to solve this problem

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DDRau
4 years ago

Here's the link to the NY Times:
cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/hootie-and-the-parakeets-round/

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Mylima
4 years ago

Parrots in N. Y.? ... now I have heard everything! ... way too many of them ... can they be captured and sold as pets or relocate them? ... I wonder ... don't be offended by these questions ... just thinking out loud ... lol!

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DDRau
4 years ago

I don't think the councilman who wants them declared an endangered species is going to go for idea of trapping them and putting them in cages ;-o

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