Florida's Nonnative Wildlife. Species detail.
First year: 1930's
Extirpated year:
Established status: Populations
are confirmed breeding and apparently self-sustaining for 10 or
more consecutive years
Estimated Florida range: 67
counties At least 10 years
Statewide trend: Unknown
status
Threats to natives: Competes
with native species for nesting cavities and they are also
susceptible to chlamydiosis (parrot fever).
Species Account: This
Australian native is the common parakeet of pet stores, and it
regularly escapes or is released into the wild in Florida. Breeding
populations are most common along the Gulf Coast, but it has been
spotted in most metropolitan areas in Florida. Populations numbered
in the 1000s in Pinellas County in 1962 but seem to have
disappeared in that area today. Numbers apparently declined in the
1980s, possibly due to severe freezes, competition for nest sites
with European Starlings, or disease (Florida BBA 1986-91). Breeding
in most areas of Florida has been short lived. In southwestern
Pasco County, where 6,000-8,000 Budgerigars have been observed in 1
winter roost, birds were mostly found in subdivisions with many
bird feeders and nest boxes, and they generally avoided undeveloped
habitats (Wenner and Hirth 1984). In Florida, they nest in pine
cavities, street lights, and cabbage palms, and they have been
observed feeding on seeds of grasses (Wenner and Hirth 1984).
Habitats: Central or core
urban area, Low density suburban development, areas peripheral
to core urban areas, and small towns.
| County |
First Year |
Extirpated Year |
Breeding status |
Notes |
| Northwest |
1930's |
At least 10 years |
| North Central |
1930's |
|
At least 10 years |
|
| Northeast |
1930's |
|
At least 10 years |
|
| Southwest |
1930's |
|
At least 10 years |
|
| South |
1930's |
|
At least 10 years |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Alachua |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
Gainesville (B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Bay |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Brevard |
1963 |
1975 |
At least 10 years |
|
| Broward |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
Ft. Lauderdale (B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Charlotte |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
Port Charlotte (B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Citrus |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Collier |
1984 |
|
Not reported breeding |
|
| Dade |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
Miami (B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Dixie |
1976 |
|
At least 10 years |
|
| Duval |
1979 |
|
Not reported breeding |
|
| Escambia |
1991 |
|
At least 10 years |
|
| Franklin |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Hernando |
2000 |
|
Not reported breeding |
(Pranty 2000a); however, reported confirmed breeding near
county line (Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Highlands |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Hillsborough |
1930's |
|
At least 10 years |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data). Reported confirmed breeding
(Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Lee |
1976 |
|
Not reported breeding |
Ft. Myers; Cayo Costa State Park (Florida Park Service District
4 Wildlife Database) |
| Leon |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Levy |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Manatee |
2000 |
|
Not reported breeding |
(Pranty 2000a_ |
| Monroe |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Okaloosa |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Orange |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
Winter Park (B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Palm Beach |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
West Palm Beach (B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Pasco |
1978 |
|
At least 10 years |
52 reported in 2000 (Pranty 2000a). Reported confirmed breeding
by Florida BBA (1986-91). |
| Pinellas |
1963 |
|
At least 10 years |
Reported confirmed breeding (Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Polk |
1997 |
|
Not reported breeding |
(Pranty 1997) |
| Saint Lucie |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie (B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished
data) |
| Santa Rosa |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Sarasota |
1966 |
|
At least 10 years |
Reported confirmed breeding (Florida BBA 1986-91). |
| Seminole |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
| Wakulla |
1930's |
|
Not reported breeding |
(B. Pranty, 2001 unpublished data) |
References
James, F. C. 1997. Nonindigenous Birds. Pages
139-156 In Strangers Among Us: Impact and management of
nonindigenous species in Florida. (Simberloff,D., D. Schmitz, and
E. Wilson, eds.) Island Press, Washington D.C.
Pranty, B. 1997b. Field observations [fall report:
August to November 1997]. Florida Field Naturalist 25:74-84.
Pranty, B. 2000a. Field observations [winter
report: December 1999 to February 2000]. Florida Field Naturalist
28:127-137.
Pranty, B. In review. The budgerigar in Florida:
rise and fall of an Australian exotic. Submitted to North American
Birds.
Wenner, A. S. and D. H. Hirth. 1984. Status of the
feral budgerigar in Florida. Journal of Ornithology 55:214-219
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