A drawing of the Carolina Parakeet
The Thick-billed Parrot
Did you know that the USA had two native parrots?
They were the Carolina Parakeet and the Thick-billed Parrot. The Carolina Parakeet lived in the east of the USA from southern New England to Florida and Texas. They lived in flocks of 200 to 300 birds. Unfortunately, they went extinct in 1918 due to habitat loss, hunting and the millinery trade.
The Thick-billed Parrot used to live in the southwest of the USA, but now only lives in Mexico. In the 1980s and 1990s, some tried to reintroduce the parrot, but were not successful.
Fortunately, we have World Parrot Day, which is celebrated on May 31st, to raise awareness of the beauty and conservation of the parrot. The celebration was started in 2004 by the World Parrot Trust.
Nearly one third of parrots are endangered, which makes them one of the most at risk bird groups.
The first World Parrot Day was organized in London with a rally in Trafalgar Square and a march to the prime minister’s office. The World Parrot Trust presented a petition of 33,000 signatures against importing wild parrots to the prime minister. This movement helped to push the European Union to ban permanently the import of wild birds in 2007.
You can participate in World Parrot Day by visiting a zoo or a bird sanctuary. You can learn about various parrots, donate to a conservation organization like the World Parrot Trust or Wildlife Conservation Society, watch documentaries or share parrot-related content on social media using #WorldParrotDay.
Sources:
- Naturediscoverycenter.org
- Nationaldaytoday.com
- Worldanimalprotection.org
Written by Aaron Brown, Librarian II, Central Library
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