Many Southern California residents are amused and intrigued by the parrots, and enjoy having them around. One of the dangers of a naturalized exotic animal however, is its potential to become invasive. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines an invasive species as “ a species that is non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration, and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.” Many people have speculated as to whether these naturalized parrots pose a threat to the native ecosystems. Although these birds are not sufficiently studied, so far it appears that they are a benign addition to the natural habitat.
