By bird club member Julie Forsyth

Jenx is a Quaker parrot and came into my flock last summer. His Mom and Dad moved down to the lower 48 and didn’t want to take him with them. He loves his toys in his cage and likes to come out to try to get me. He lands on my head all the time. I don’t hold him; he holds me. Jenx tries to make friends with the Amazon but Samson doesn’t want anything to do with him, but the Red-Bellied parrots like him.

Quakers can live up to 25-30 years or more. They are a fearless bird. They come from South America, with feral colonies established in parts of the United States. They are a medium bird about 12 inches in length from beak to tail, weighing between 80 and 150 grams. They come in green or blue on the back and head.

Jenx and the other Quakers are outlawed in many states, including: California, Wyoming, New Jersey, Hawaii, and Georgia because they are considered a potential agricultural pest. There are now established breeding colonies (originally escaped pets) in several states, including New York, New Jersey, Louisiana (New Orleans), Texas (Dallas), Bridgeport/Fairfield Connecticut (Bridgeport/ Fairfield), and Illinois.

The Alaska Bird Club • P.O. Box 101825 • Anchorage AK 99510
akbirdclub@yahoo.com