banned in certain states

[kmiller0320]

I live in Kentucky but really want a quaker parrot. Not sure if they're still banned here and don't understand why. I know one person that has one and says you can have them in Kentucky as long as it's just a pet and I'm not breeding or selling. Does anyone know or know where find this information? Thanks

 

[Terry57]

I ran a quick google search, and unfortunately on all the sites I found they said it is illegal in Kentucky to own one there, whether as a pet or a breeder. I am not sure how old these links that I found are, though.

 

[critterman]

That is totally weird. What is the reasoning behind it? Must be some crazy person who doesn't like birds. Quakers are beautiful and wonderful little birds. What a crazy world.....

 

[Christinenc2000]

From what I found on google search........ and this is really shocking to me

Because of concern that these birds might become established agricultural pests and that they represent a threat to native species in the local environments, they are illegal to own or to sell in California, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Hawaii, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wyoming. They are legal to own, but illegal to sell or breed in Connecticut. They are legal to own with registration and banding in New York, and legal to own with breeder or seller registration in Virginia.

 

[RavensGryf]

Here are a couple links that may answer your questions. This says Quakers are illegal to OWN or sell in Kentucky.

There are so many people disregarding the laws when it comes to exotic pets. I've seen them here before in CA, where they're illegal too.

Why are Quaker Parrots Illegal in Some States | QuakerParrots.com
QuakerVille | Are Quaker Parrots Legal in My State?

 

[Allee]

As a species, Quaker parrots or Monk Parakeets, absolutely fascinate me. They are legal in Texas, if that changes, I'll be forced to move. All our major cities have at least a couple of wild colonies. For those who are interested, here's another interesting link.

Lifeform of the week: The mystery of the monk parakeets | Earth | EarthSky

 

[thekarens]

I can't imagine them ever being illegal in Texas since we have so many wild ones.

 

[Allee]

Lol Karen, I think they even outnumber the wild hog population in Texas.

 

[chucka]

I live on the west side australia and Quakers and all amozons and greys are banned here we can pretty much only have native birds and macaws ..

But on the east coast of australia you can have what ever you want ...

I understand the reasons given but i do not understand the logic on this state can but that state carnt ...

 

[palmetto941]

From my understanging, Quakers are extremely adaptable. So if they get loose they can survive the weather. They are also avid nest builders and live in colonies. The nests can be huge and they are nest aggressive. They can build and take out a powerline in a short time. They can cause a lot of damage. While I have a Quaker and love him dearly...and he's an awesome pet, I respect that these are hearty birds and smart. But if they get loose, they create a lot of havoc.

 

[Birdman666]

That is totally weird. What is the reasoning behind it? Must be some crazy person who doesn't like birds. Quakers are beautiful and wonderful little birds. What a crazy world.....

While they are certainly interesting and intelligent birds, they are banned for a reason:

1. They are crop pests. Agricultural areas - California for example, don't want them.

2. They are very hardy and prolific breeders. They can take over an eco system.

3. Their nests are fire hazards, and YES, California did have a wild fire because of one that's why the ban was put in place (beside the fact that the farmers HATE them for eating their crops...) They like to build their nests on the top of power poles, and such. Dried twigs and grass around live electrical lines. You get an arc, and up it goes, along with everything else in the neighborhood.

Every State that has allowed them in ends up having a feral colony or six... They are survivors.

So they are banned in many states.

I had actually seen quakers for sale in California, but they were labeled for sale as some sort of Conure. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw that...

http://www.archive.quakerparakeetsociety.org/wildquakers/wildtext/illegallist.html

A law is only as good as the enforcement of it. With no money set aside for enforcement... well, let's just say no one is going to be kicking down your door to confiscate you illegal bird.

But it is an illegal bird.

 

[Flboy]

Go hang in a park in Bridgeport, Ct in the summer. 100's if not thousands!

 

[Birdman666]

Go hang in a park in Bridgeport, Ct in the summer. 100's if not thousands!

And Brooklyn.

And New Jersey.

And Chicago.

And New Orleans.

And Several different places in Texas, including Austin and San Antonio.

And Florida.

And all across Europe... (England culled 260,000 of them not too long ago. That's how invasive they can be...)

If they get out, they survive, and they establish thriving communal nests, that quickly turn into colonies...

Here's a link to where to find the feral colonies:

http://animaltourism.com/animals/parrot.php

The temple city amazons are not lilac crowns as reported. THEY'RE RED LORED AMAZONS AND MEXICAN REDHEADED AMAZONS THAT MIGRATED NORTH FROM MEXICO. Here's the funny part. They imported the palm trees that Line the highway from Mexico. The amazons lost a significant portion of their nesting trees. So they migrated north - AND THEY FOUND THEIR OLD TREES!!! YIPPEEEEE!!! So, now they nest there instead...

YOU TOOK OUR HABITAT FROM US, AND WE WANT IT BACK!!!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/parrots/sets/72157606634473532/

There appears to be quite a few conures nesting there as well.

Here's another post relating to other wild amazon flocks in the Pasadena area, including DYH'S

http://www.weirdca.com/location.php?location=112

 

[SkyandHoudini]

They're little superstars in Brooklyn. If I'm not mistaken, there are now little tours to go hang out around where they nest.

Also...from firsthand experience Quakers are little escape artists. I mean, aside from the doo doo bags that go and release their poor and more than likely abused critters out into the "wild" of their backyard, you've got a lot who want to keep the pet, they just don't know how and the animal ends up escaping somehow.

Within the first 2 months Sky had learned how to escape his first flimsy little cage. Not even through the main entrance (he couldn't). Instead he would lift the latches of his food/water bowl door area thingies and out he'd come. Now, he rarely ever did this (possibly once or twice), but the first time he did we had all turned away for a moment.

It was a special circumstance. We were at a cousin's house with him, and he did not like it at all (he's never tried to 'escape' at home). He wanted to be with me, but everyone kept pestering me to 'leave him alone' (as if he really wanted me to leave him alone). He was sitting in his cage looking unhappy. Looked away and looked back and he was out of his cage. I didn't remember him being out, but decided I must have let him out and forgotten. Except that the main door wasn't open? So we put him back in and watched and lo and behold he escapes his cage right in front of us. They're very determined when they want to be!

So, in addition to being quick to escape, many people leave their birds flighted without teaching them proper recall or anything. In some cases, people have the time and resources to ensure their babies don't escape, but in other cases, inexperienced owners just don't know what they're doing and bam, you've got a case of feral birds on your hands.

So combine an inexperienced, careless owner, with a flighted Quaker Parrot and you've got a recipe for disaster. And I think some states are just looking out for their agriculture and native fauna.

The best thing about having them here is seeing them alongside pigeons. Two pests side by side!

Also the best thing about them being legal here is me getting to happily and safely keep Sky

 

[Hawk]

I read that too a while back, and it's not just Kentucky. I'm still curious as well as to why that is. What's different that the quaker has to be singled out?

 

[Hawk]

They're little superstars in Brooklyn. If I'm not mistaken, there are now little tours to go hang out around where they nest.

Also...from firsthand experience Quakers are little escape artists. I mean, aside from the doo doo bags that go and release their poor and more than likely abused critters out into the "wild" of their backyard, you've got a lot who want to keep the pet, they just don't know how and the animal ends up escaping somehow.

Within the first 2 months Sky had learned how to escape his first flimsy little cage. Not even through the main entrance (he couldn't). Instead he would lift the latches of his food/water bowl door area thingies and out he'd come. Now, he rarely ever did this (possibly once or twice), but the first time he did we had all turned away for a moment.

It was a special circumstance. We were at a cousin's house with him, and he did not like it at all (he's never tried to 'escape' at home). He wanted to be with me, but everyone kept pestering me to 'leave him alone' (as if he really wanted me to leave him alone). He was sitting in his cage looking unhappy. Looked away and looked back and he was out of his cage. I didn't remember him being out, but decided I must have let him out and forgotten. Except that the main door wasn't open? So we put him back in and watched and lo and behold he escapes his cage right in front of us. They're very determined when they want to be!

So, in addition to being quick to escape, many people leave their birds flighted without teaching them proper recall or anything. In some cases, people have the time and resources to ensure their babies don't escape, but in other cases, inexperienced owners just don't know what they're doing and bam, you've got a case of feral birds on your hands.

So combine an inexperienced, careless owner, with a flighted Quaker Parrot and you've got a recipe for disaster. And I think some states are just looking out for their agriculture and native fauna.

The best thing about having them here is seeing them alongside pigeons. Two pests side by side!

Also the best thing about them being legal here is me getting to happily and safely keep Sky

OHHHH that explains why some states insist that quakers be clipped. I heard this at an avian store...costumer was told he would have to have the wings clipped on the quaker before he took it home....Nothing was mentioned about other parrots, and while driving home I was wondering "why the Quaker"....as Birdman pointed out in a post, they are fast breeders and can cause crop damage if they escape and begin colonizing.

 

[Birdman666]

They also can overwhelm native species, by eating up their food sources, and driving them off prime foraging areas. Those flocks stick together and mass to drive off intruders...

So it isn't a completely arbitrary decision at all. These little guys were singled out for a reason.

Most captive bred parrots who get released back into the wild, simply would not survive or thrive in large numbers. These little guys do!

 

[thekarens]

They also can overwhelm native species, by eating up their food sources, and driving them off prime foraging areas. Those flocks stick together and mass to drive off intruders...

We're already SOL in that area with species like House Sparrow and collared-dove. I'm a lot less concerned about monk parakeets.

 

[Birdman666]

So far, I haven't had any at my feeders, though I have seen a flock of them in a park across town...

It's certainly better than the idiots who have let their burmese pythons go in the everglades... with NO natural predators to keep them in check!

 

[thekarens]

So far, I haven't had any at my feeders, though I have seen a flock of them in a park across town...

It's certainly better than the idiots who have let their burmese pythons go in the everglades... with NO natural predators to keep them in check!

I don't know how you managed that. We like to bird watch and Texas is a great state for that and you can't go 5 feet without running into house sparrows. They will nest anywhere in humongous flocks. I see them nesting in the letters on store fruits and under overpasses and in our bushes. They are cute, but majorly invasive. They drive off our house finches, mourning and inca doves at our feeders.