Yesterday afternoon, I again observed a blue parakeet (which is also known as a budgerigar) in the trees in my suburban townhouse neighborhood, two weeks after I first spotted it in the “wild.”
Since that first spotting, we’ve had some heavy rain and the temperature has dipped down to the freezing level. Somehow, though, the parakeet (Melopsittacus undulatus) has managed to find shelter and food and avoid predators. The parakeet seems to stay in the same general location, not far from several bird feeders on the back decks of nearby houses.
The general consensus seems to be that this is an escaped pet. I worry about its long-term survival, but so far it appears to be adapting pretty well to the outdoor environment.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved
Mike Powell 
Maybe the local branch of the Audubon Society would be interested in trying to catch it.
I can ask. I’ve posted this with the local Homeowners Association, but nobody had yet said that they had an escaped parakeet.
So far, so good. It seems to be adapting well, and life should get easier as summer approaches.
I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten ..um.. well… pestered by the other birds! I’m not sure if I’d say that non-native bird like a parakeet is good to ‘see’ out in the wild!
Maybe if you keep calling, ‘pretty bird’ or something he might come visit! lol
I agree with you, Brent, that it would be best if there were a way to return the parakeet back to the pet status that it almost certainly enjoyed for most of its life. In this case, though, I can’t help but admire the fact that the bird has managed to survive.