Dallas' White Rock Lake gives visitors a chance to experience dozens of species of animals in the middle of a major city. But one species of bird stands out among the rest: the monk parakeet.
It's a bright green bird that is originally from South America. Experts say it's unclear how they wound up in North America, and even harder to pinpoint how they got to Texas specifically.
"There is speculation that in the '60s they came in from for the pet trade. And the story is that they were being shipped in and at John F Kennedy Airport, the crate broke open, birds got released, and that's how they started up in the Northeast," said Liz Tidwell, a wildlife program specialist with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. "And then from there, we suspect they migrated down here to Texas. The first documented case is actually two parakeets in the early '70s."
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"Another story is there was supposed to be a shipment to one of our pet stores there around White Rock Lake, and somehow they were released or accidentally got out," said Christopher Morris, an urban biologist with the city of Dallas.
Regardless of how they got here, they're here to stay. Learn how they've adapted to cooler temperatures and a new environment in this week's episode of Texas Wants to Know.
