The Quaker Parrot Trivia Quiz

Answer: Monk Parakeet

They are called the Monk parakeet for the pale feathers on top of their heads which looks like a monk's tonsure. There are several explanations for why they are called Quakers, possibly for the sounds they make, possibly for the scalloped ruff on their upper breasts bearing a resemblance to an old-fashioned Quaker neck cloth. No one is certain.

Answer: No

Quakers are not sexually dimorphic, in other words it is impossible to tell male from female just by a visual check. The only certain way to find out the sex of your parrot is to have them DNA checked by bloodspot or feather analysis, or by surgical sexing. Some breeders claim that females are more aggressive, or noticeably smaller, but these are not foolproof checks by any means.

Answer: Myiopsitta monachus

The latin name just means 'monk parakeet', which is something of an opportunity wasted.
The other three names also belong to South American parrots; Brotogeris tirica is the plain parakeet, a near relative of the quaker. Bolborhynchus orbygnesius is the Andean parakeet, and Pionus fuscus is the dusky pionus.

Answer: Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil

Quakers prefer a more temperate climate than their bigger South American cousins, and were originally found in these areas. They have expanded their range in recent years into Chile, Paraguay and Bolivia - they are hardy enough to survive in cold climates, even snow!

Answer: Belgium

They are also found in smaller numbers in France, the UK and Italy, as well as some Caribbean Islands. Being hardy birds with few natural enemies, if they escape, they tend to thrive. The Belgian colony, for instance, has existed since at least the mid seventies.

Answer: Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn is home to a colony of thousands of Quakers, mainly centred around the Green-Wood Cemetery. The Quakers have come to be a beloved part of the local landscape - Brooklyn College has even adopted the Quaker parrot as its mascot.

Local rumour has it that the parrots were released when a break-in at nearby Idlewild Airport in the late fifties released a shipment of the birds just flown in from Argentina. They flew a short distance and made themselves at home in Brooklyn, as so many other immigrants have.

You couldn't see Quakers in any of the other locations - it is illegal to own a Quaker parrot in any of those states, as it is feared that feral ones could be a threat to crops.

Answer: They build nests from twigs

Quaker parrots are the engineers of the bird world, and Quaker nests really are something to see - they are huge constructions, sometimes as big as a small car, often on manmade objects like telephone poles or streetlights. Inside, the nests are broken down into smaller 'apartments', each housing a family.

Quakers are zagodactyls, in other words have two toes facing forward and two facing back per foot, like all parrots. They survive cold winters by being more successful scavengers than their neighbours and usually having few natural enemies.

They certainly aren't carnivores (killer parrots - what a thought!) - like all scavengers, they just aren't fussy what they eat.

Answer: Pale blue with a grey underside

Some Quakers do come in a rather fetching pale blue, but be prepared to pay fifty to one hundred percent more for them! This is a natural mutation, first seen in feral Quakers in Belgium. It has been selectively bred for and is now fairly common. Occasional albino and all yellow Quakers also sometimes occur.

Answer: 25 - 30 years

A well-kept Quaker can live to be thirty, something worth bearing in mind if you are thinking of buying one. They could well outlive you, and you don't want to be passing your little pal on to someone who doesn't understand parrots! According to some studies, they live as little as three to four years in the wild, but large clutches of eggs and the Quakers' communal life style - chicks are raised collectively, not just by their parents - helps to maintain numbers.

Answer: It's dinner time

Quakers, especially young ones, go into a mad shaking frenzy at feeding times in an attempt to be fed - this is another possible origin for their name. My own pet bird, Floyd, did exactly this shortly after I got him home. The thought that he might be cold, threatening me or having a seizure did pass through my mind, but on reading the Quaker parrot handbook I had bought, I found that this was normal behaviour in all parrots - just even more so in Quakers. Remember, a bit of reading before hand stops worry and expensive vet's fees after!