Sex and Age Effects on Monk Parakeet Home-Range Variation in the Urban Habitat

Home-range size is a key aspect of space-use, and variation in home-range size and structure may have profound consequences for the potential impact of damage and control strategies for invasive species. However, knowledge on home-range structure of naturalized parrot species is very limited. The aim of this study was to quantify patterns of home-range variation according to sex and age of the monk parakeet Myiopsitta monachus, an invasive parakeet in Europe. Mean kernel home-range size was 12.4 +/- 1.22 ha (range 1.7-74.1 ha; N = 73 birds). Juveniles had a larger home-range size than adults, but sexes did not differ in kernel home-range size. The mean maximum distance moved by monk parakeets was 727 +/- 37.0 m (range: 150-1581 m), and it was not dependent on either the sex or age of the birds. Having a small home range is one of the conditions for the feasible eradication of an invasive species; hence, the small home range of urban monk parakeets that we report here is good news for pest managers. However, this small home-range size can limit the effectiveness of culling operations with traps or feeders with contraceptives or poison, and other alternatives, such as funnel nets or traps, should be used.

Automated summary

By studying home-range variation of monk parakeets, it was found that juveniles had a larger home-range size than adults, but sexes did not differ in home-range size. The average maximum distance moved by monk parakeets was 727 meters, and it was not dependent on sex or age.