Wild Parrots of Brooklyn

Michael

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Jan 24, 2006
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Pennsylvania, USA
Parrots
Australian King Parrots
Lesser Jardines
Senegals
Red Bellied
Moustache Parakeets
Green Cheek Conure Mutations
Peachface Lovebirds
Scarlet Chested Parakeet
Painted Conures
Military Macaw
Peta, those parrots are famous. They are in the news often because of the controversy that they cause with the utility companies and the people who want them left alone.
In the state where I live, it's illegal to own, breed, keep, or as they say "possess" a Quaker Parakeet. It's an old law that makes no sense because 30 minutes from my home is the border of another state and they are legal there.
MKay has a pair, I believe, and they make great companion birds.
I had one as a child growing up before they were banned from being kept as pets.

Michael
 

Dave

New member
Jan 30, 2006
54
0
Pennsylvania-USA
Parrots
1 pet CAG--1 pet TAG--1 pet YC Macaw--2 pet Quakers--3 prs of breeder greys--not pets
I now live in the same state as Michael. What he says concerning restrictions is absolutely true BUT it's an ancient law. It goes back to when quakers lived on or near farmlands in different states. The people who were most affected years and years ago were the farmers that grew corn. The feral quakers would swoop down and eat much of the growing corn which is why the laws against quakers were initiated. The laws in the different states were different from each other and remain so until this very day.
The ruling body is the Dept. of Agriculture BUT things are different even in PA and other states although laws have not officially changed.
I was born and raised in NY and also lived in the Bronx which is one of the boroughs butting up next to Brooklyn.
In 1995, I moved to Missiouri. I and my family lived there for 5 yrs. It was a terrible experience.
In 2000, I moved back to the east coast to PA. which is next to NY and NJ.
When it was time to move back from MO, I had many birds to transport. I did this by using my trailer hooked up to my van. 2 of those birds were my quakers. Air flight was not logical.
My point is this------Here in PA, if I was to walk into any office of the DOA with my quakers, the officers at the desk would look up at me and say " hi, you gotta couple of nice looking parrots there. So sir, what's your reason for coming here and what can we do to help you out with?"
In other words, the Dept of Agriculture wouldn't know the difference between a quaker and a pigeon. The laws are old and antiquated and rarely inforced. Many, many toll booth operators saw my quakers as well as my other birds and didn't even blink.

Meet Baby and Lola They are the scourge that has traveled through the US provoking terror and fear in the hearts and minds of men.

PS, when I moved to Missiouri, they traveled there in the same way.
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Michael

New member
Jan 24, 2006
101
Media
10
1
Pennsylvania, USA
Parrots
Australian King Parrots
Lesser Jardines
Senegals
Red Bellied
Moustache Parakeets
Green Cheek Conure Mutations
Peachface Lovebirds
Scarlet Chested Parakeet
Painted Conures
Military Macaw
Me thinks I might just have to consider getting one of those "Ethiopian Conures" again! That's my "code name" for them.

Nice birds, Dave. I know you couldn't possibly have them any more since you're a law-abiding-kind-of-guy. ;)

Michael
 

Dave

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Jan 30, 2006
54
0
Pennsylvania-USA
Parrots
1 pet CAG--1 pet TAG--1 pet YC Macaw--2 pet Quakers--3 prs of breeder greys--not pets
What did ya say, Law- Abiding???????:mad::mad:

Says Who ??????:confused: :rolleyes:
 
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Peta

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Hehehehe you tell him Dave!

Michael, we don't have language like that on here!!! LOL:D

I'm surprised at you Michael, how could you say that about a friend???????:jumping40
 

sunconure

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Aug 24, 2005
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Cedar Park, TX
Parrots
sun conure girls: Allie & Kira
I dont think people realize how amazing it would be to have wild quakers around! here in Texas we have the hawks flying around!!! They are amazing too, but quakers you dont see everyday...esp. wild!
 
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Peta

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Dave, Michael.

I was reading this thread again, and as you said Dave, most people wouldn't know a quaker if it jumped up and bit them. My question is this:-
What would happen if you were to tell people that they were quakers?
As they are illegal, would they take them away from you (or try to),
As the law is really old, would they uphold it?
Or would it be a case of if you catch me on a bad day, I'll take them?
Also why, if they are a pet are they illegal to own?

I understand what you are saying about them being seen as a pest by the utility companys, but aren't they only doing what comes naturally.

In the last week I have been spending a lot of time with a friend who has recently got a quaker and it is so hard to believe that they are illegal over there, they are so wonderful.
 

MKay

New member
Jan 25, 2006
73
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18
6
Ohio
Parrots
Pionus, YNA, WB caiques, quakers, goffin, lovebirds, GC conure, parakeet,
My friend uses the Cincinnati airport, which happens to be located just over the border and in KY. THere, quakers or monk parakeets are forbidden. She's got nothing to worry about, since the parrots that she ships from that airport are "grey-cheeked" parrots. ;)

There are colonies in Chicago, and I'm sure many other cities. Hardy lil' buggers. Lots of charisma--we enjoy ours!
 

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MKay

New member
Jan 25, 2006
73
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Ohio
Parrots
Pionus, YNA, WB caiques, quakers, goffin, lovebirds, GC conure, parakeet,
Forgot to respond, though you didn't ask me, Peta.. they're outlawed in many states because they are known to destroy crops and fields, and grow into large, destructive colonies. They're prolific and can thrive even in the cold Chicago winter. Here in Ohio, they're legal only if clipped. That's so that they cannot fly away, find more and grow into feral colonies. I supposed it must've been (or is?) a big enough problem in some states for the laws to have been created. I have heard it said that in KY the quakers will be collected and destroyed if found to be owned as pets there. Heartless and cruel--they just confiscate them and kill them. I would imagine it is not humanely done.
 

Dave

New member
Jan 30, 2006
54
0
Pennsylvania-USA
Parrots
1 pet CAG--1 pet TAG--1 pet YC Macaw--2 pet Quakers--3 prs of breeder greys--not pets
Peta
The quaker isn't illegal in every state here in the US. Different states have different laws. Some states allow them to be owned, bred and sold in pet stores. Some states allow them to be owned but not bred but can be sold in pet stores. Some states don't allow them to owned, bred or sold in pet stores. In this state that's the rule. In the state next to me, NY ( about 125 miles away) it's perfectly legal to sell, breed and own them.
"""""""""What would happen if you were to tell people that they were quakers?"""""""
I would have to search far and wide in order to find a person who would have any negative reactions to me telling them that I own quakers. The laws are old, go back many, many years when the world of agriculture was different. That's when the laws were instituted. """""As the law is really old, would they uphold it?""""" Only if there was a major crisis that involved mass destruction to property in which the quaker has been definitely identified as the culprit.

In this part of the state I live in, Animal Control Centers are much too busy dealing with bears, deers, foxes, groundhogs and woodchucks, all of which cause farmers ( especially dairy cow farmers) lots of problems. The woodchucks, groundhogs go on the farmer's property and dig out small burrows on flat lands where the cows graze. The dairy cows walk around, accidently steps in one of the holes, breaks a leg and has to be euthenized. I've had bears come on my property. I've had deers mating in the bushes 100 yds away from my house. The major thing all of these animals have in common is that they all have 4 legs and don't fly. I've had ACC at my house 3 times in 4 yrs, all having to do with bears with cubs. None of these destructive animals are ever euthenized. They're simply captured and brought to an area at least 5 miles away where other bears and cubs live in the forests.
In this state, as harsh as the quaker law is, the only reason that people don't have them is because pet shops don't sell them here and breeders don't breed them here because there's no money in it since advertising can't be done.
This whole thing simply concerns the quaker species running into some very bad luck in it's history.

PS-----Damn, I wish I could remember the country ( it might be in the UK???) but anyway, a person who I was communicating with once told me that african greys are illegal in her country. In Australia, Cockatoos are considered pests although they aren't outlawed. ---See what I mean??---Dave


 
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Peta

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MKay and Dave, thank you very much for the info, Luckily here in the UK the african grey is legal, thankfully.

The quaker is such a lovely little character it is so hard to see it as a pest, but then we don't have that many wild parrots over here. In Scotland they have some wild parrots mainly ringnecks, as the time goes on there are different species being seen. A few years ago there were a pair of parrots (can't remember what species) that had started mating and laying eggs, they were having to be watched 24/7 as certain people were trying to take the eggs!! Will people never learn.

Again thank you for the info on the quaker laws and I personally think they are lovely little bundles of fun with such a big character. :07:
 

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