The Invader Updater

Highlights: Invasive species news for busy Extension professionals

Monk Parakeet Volume 3, Issue 2 Season 2011 birth control?

What do Focal Species: Monk Parakeet

successful Scientific name: invaders have Myiopsitta monachus

in common? Size: 12 in. long Avoid the 20 in. wingspan Monk Parakeet (Wikimedia) barbecued Monk Parakeet Nest on Native range: video to hear them vocalize). armadillo! Power Substation South America They are similar in appear- (S. A. Johnson Photo)

ance to several other intro- First photos of Notes: Also known as duced parrots in Florida, can cause short circuits, dam- the year from the “Quaker Parrot” including the Black-hooded age power equipment, and the Tegu cam! Parakeet . cause power outages, costing By the mid-1900s, these South Florida utilities over brightly-colored, small par- Direct impacts of Monk Par- $500,000 per year for repairs. In this Issue: rots had become popular in akeets on native species are Focal Species: 1 the pet trade. On average, probably minimal. However, Current management strate- Monk Parakeet 16,000 Monk Parakeets were unlike most other parrots, gies are limited to removal of Science: Big- 2 imported to the U.S. each Monk Parakeets feed not nests and birds—birds will brained Invaders year—more than 65,000 were only on seeds but also on a quickly rebuild nests and so imported between 1968-1972. variety of fruits. As a result, must be removed as well. Science: Wild 2 Dogs & Wildlife As a result, escaped or re- these invasive birds can indi- Removal is costly, so current leased Monk Parakeets were rectly harm native species by research is focusing on prom- Innovation: 3 ising methods of controlling Tadpole Wars soon documented across the consuming the fruits of inva- country and they are now sive plants and spreading reproduction. News to Know 3 them to new areas. breeding in as many as 20 Monk Parakeet sightings Noteworthy: 3 states, including Hawaii (see Monk Parakeets also differ should be reported to Leprosy Linked map of established range). from other parrots in that www.IveGot1.org, along to Armadillos Monk Parakeets have bright they build nests of sticks with photographs if possible. In Focus: Tegu 4 green bodies and wings, pale rather than nesting in cavi- When these birds are present Burrow Cam gray faces, throats, and ties in trees. In their intro- in an area, food sources such Resources 4 chests, and bluish-black duced range, they commonly as bird feeders and invasive, flight feathers. These noisy build their nests on power fruit-producing plants that birds can also be identified utility poles and substations. might be spread by these by their metallic squawks Dry nests can cause electrical birds should be removed. and screams (check out this fires and, when wet, nests Learn More...

The Invader Updater — http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/InvaderUpdater.shtml Volume 3, Issue 2 – P g . 2

Science: Big-brained Invaders

Scientists have long hypothe- birds introduced to new areas regardless of introduction sized that some animals were more likely to thrive effort or whether they were evolved relatively larger and become established, re- habitat generalists. brains than many of their rela- gardless of bird family or Recently, the Australian- tives in response to changing intensity or frequency of in- based research group of Dr. conditions or new environ- troductions. More recently, Richard Shine added amphib- ments. Larger brains may have Maklakov et al. provided ad- Successful invaders, ians and reptiles to the list of given these species an ad- ditional insights for invasion like this Nile big-brained invaders, despite vantage by increasing their ecology when they demon- Monitor , often have vast differences in the brain ability to learn and develop strated that relatively larger large brains relative structure and physiology of new behaviors that helped brains also help birds to sur- to their body size. these cold-blooded species. them to survive. An interna- vive in urban environments. tional group of scientists head- These studies suggest that Over the years, Sol et al.. ex- ed by Dr. Daniel Sol of Spain relative brain size should be panded their research to in- has been testing this hypothe- considered when attempting clude mammals and found sis for many years, using spe- to evaluate the establishment that relatively larger-brained cies introductions as a model. potential of the many verte- mammals are also more suc- Several years ago, they found brate species sold as exotic cessful in introduced regions, that relatively larger-brained pets in the U.S. Learn More... and that this trend held true

Science: Wild Dogs & Wildlife

We share the planet with summarized previous many as 800 (of 1,000) indi- more than half a billion studies of dog impacts on viduals. Dogs also compete domesticated dogs, many wildlife along with case with both native meso- of which are free-roaming. studies of their own. They predators and scavengers In some areas, domestic showed that dogs can sig- such as vultures, and native dogs are the most abundant nificantly affect wildlife in wildlife species often avoid of all carnivore species. a variety of ways. Dogs are areas frequented by dogs. Due to their prevalence and known to transmit diseases Young’s group found that carnivorous nature, free- to wildlife—Canine Dis- all three endangered ungu- roaming or feral dogs must temper Virus has caused lates they studied in Mon- surely have some degree of significant declines in golia were harassed or at- impacts on wildlife. How- threatened seal popula- tacked and killed by dogs. ever, most studies of free- tions in Russia. Dogs prey Up to 34% of mortality of roaming or feral dogs have on a wide variety of wild- GPS-collared mountain focused solely on impacts life including rodents, sheep was caused by dogs. on livestock and risks to birds, bobcats, foxes, and One preserve in the region humans. hoofed mammals. In New alone had over 2,200 dogs, Zealand, a single dog dev- In a recent paper published which are now being re- astated an endangered Ki- in BioScience, Utah State’s moved. Learn More... wi population, killing as Julie Young and colleagues

The Invader Updater — http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/InvaderUpdater.shtml Volume 3, Issue 2 – P g . 3

Innovations: Fight Tadpoles with Tadpoles?

the invasion front, native wild- reduce their success. Dr. life that attempt to eat them are Shine’s group suggests that ―...we can killed by the toads’ toxins. Dr. improving habitat to enhance manipulate Richard Shine’s research group native frog reproduction may at the University of Sydney be an important part of a mul- native species to studies Cane Toad ecology and tifaceted strategy to control Cane Toads (Rhinella [Bufo] has found that the timing of the toads. The importance of intensify their marina) were introduced to egg laying of various frog spe- reproductive timing may also Australia in 1935 in a failed ef- cies can impact both the native have implications for manag- negative fort to control an agricultural frogs and the invasive toads. In ing Cuban Treefrogs in Flori- impacts on the pest, and have since spread a recent study, they found that da, where these invasive frogs across large areas of the coun- some larger native tadpoles can are replacing native species. invader .‖ try. As the toads advance along outcompete the invaders and Learn More...

News Updates: ♦♦ This issue’s focal species, the ple in NH keep them as pets. sentatives immediately sought Monk Parakeet, has been caus- However, NH Fish and Game to repeal the parrot ban, and ing quite a flap in recent news. recently cited a local woman one was been quoted as saying Due to their many impacts— for breeding these birds. Alt- that the thought of these birds ♦♦ especially the risk of their nests hough the officials insisted that escaping and forming colonies causing fires, these birds have she must get rid of the birds is ridiculous—although the been banned in New Hamp- within 30 days, they commend- history of this parrot species ♦♦ shire for over 13 years. Despite ably offered to help her find suggests otherwise. The repeal the ban, some reports suggest new homes for the birds, and of the ban passed unanimously that NH Fish and Game inspec- did not press criminal charges in the NH legislature and now tors have allowed pet stores to that could have resulted in a awaits a decision by Governor ♦♦ sell these birds and many peo- $1,000 fine. Some state repre- Lynch. Learn More...

Noteworthy: Leprosy Linked to Armadillos

Some folks in the Deep South leprosy carried by infected strains from various regions like armadillos—barbecued or armadillos in some southern of the world, and found that in chili, that is. Unfortunately, states. Whereas most leprosy many patients reported con- when Europeans colonized the cases in the U.S. are linked to tact with armadillos. Invasive U.S., they managed to pass lep- foreign exposure, these cases armadillos found east of Ala- rosy on to armadillo hosts. A had no easily identifiable bama are not known to carry recent study found that some cause. Researchers identified leprosy, but their potential to cases of leprosy in humans can the new leprosy strain by do so should be monitored. be linked to a unique strain of comparing the genetics of Learn More...

The Invader Updater — http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/InvaderUpdater.shtml Volume 3, Issue 2 – P g . 4

In Focus...

This photo, taken by a motion-activated wildlife camera at Balm-Boyette Scrub Preserve in central Florida, shows an invasive Black and White Tegu leaving a tortoise burrow in late February and documents the beginning of seasonal activity. Tegu This newsletter is produced by: lizards have also been found in agricultural and suburban areas surrounding the preserve. Dr. Steve A. Johnson Associate Professor & Extension Specialist Dept. of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and Monica E. McGarrity, Biological Scientist Gulf Coast Research and Education Center

Do you have questions, comments, suggestions, or an In Focus photo? Email [email protected]

The Invader Updater is a quarterly newsletter focused primarily on providing information on invasive vertebrate animals in Florida and the southeastern U.S., and was first published in Fall 2009.

Resources

Florida’s Introduced Birds: Monk Parakeet training opportunities, as well as news—like the (Myiopsitta monachus) University of Florida/IFAS formation of the Treasure Coast CISMA! Cooperative Extension Publication WEC257 Follow the Bugwood Blog for a variety of news Myiopsitta monachus—Global Invasive Species stories about invasive animals and plants. Database (ecology, management, etc.) Drive by invasive plants every day on the way to Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) - The Birds work? Have Cuban Treefrogs, Monk Parakeets, of North America Online, Cornell Lab of or other non-native critters around your home? Ornithology Don’t just ignore them, no matter how common they seem—report them at www.IveGot1.org. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s webpages have recently gotten a facelift, including long-awaited updates to their Know of an important resource not listed here or Non-native Species pages! in our archives? Let us know—email a description Been a while since you’ve visited the Florida and URL to [email protected] Invasive Species Partnership webpage? Visit often to keep up to date on new activities and

The Invader Updater — http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/InvaderUpdater.shtml