Smallish green parrots hailing (or at least their ancestors do) from South America. They aren't very closely related to budgies, which is what most people think of when you say "parakeet."

Quaker parakeets are also called "monk parrots." They are the only parrots known to build their shelter out of twigs. They build large, communal nests with multiple chambers, and add on when a new member of the famliy is old enough to set up shop.

It is not uncommon in the southern United States for colonies of quaker parakeets to become established in an urban setting. They like to build their nests on tall structures, such as the light towers at the community baseball fields. In some states, they have been outlawed as pets, since they have voracious appetites, and a large flock of quakers can decimate a famer's crops.

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