An evaluation of monk parakeet damage to crops in the metropolitan area of Barcelona

Abstract

An evaluation of monk parakeet damage to crops in the metropolitan area of Barcelona.-We evaluated damage to commercial crops caused by the monk parakeet, Myiopsitta monachus, in the Baix Llobregat agricultural area (1,024 ha) bordering the city of Barcelona, Spain. Average crop loss was 0.4% for tomatoes, 28% for corn, 9% for red plums, 36% for round plums, 37% for pears, 17% for persimmons, and 7% for quinces. Our data show that the potential damage to crops by monk parakeets in this invaded area is now a reality. As a wait-and-see approach is likely to be a more costly strategy in the long-term, policy makers should assess issues such as the extent of damage, feasibility/cost benefit analysis, and public opinion so as to avoid greater damage and loss in the future.

Unrelenting spread of the alien monk parakeetMyiopsitta monachusin Israel. Is it time to sound the alarm?

“…40 However, our study shows that, in contrast to other invaded areas, monk parakeets in Israel have spread from their urban strongholds to agricultural areas in a short period of time. A similar situation occurred in Spain, where monk parakeets spread from Barcelona to farmlands outside the city and caused damage to different crops (0.4% for tomatoes Solanum lycopersicum L., 7% for quinces Cydonia oblonga M., 17% for persimmons Dyospiros kaki L. f., 28% for corn Zea mays L., 9-36% for different varieties of round plums Prunus domestica L. and 37% for pears Pyrus communis L. 41 Very recently, the Agriculture Damage Section of the Israeli Nature and Park Authority (Kaplan A, private communication, 2015) reported the first flock of monk parakeets feeding on wheat Triticum spp., which is common behaviour in its native range. 42 Further studies could investigate the effect of land use changes and crop rotation on the expansion of monk parakeets in agricultural land.…”

Mediterranean versus Atlantic monk parakeets Myiopsitta monachus: towards differentiated management at the European scale

“…The damage to tomatoes was estimated at €8000 in the same year; today the population has tripled and thus the damage is expected to have grown accordingly. 36,66 Based on our observations of population growth, range expansion and the available literature on monk parakeet crop damage in Europe, Mediterranean countries in particular, may have to consider formulating management strategies to avoid crop damage. Britain declared the monk parakeet a priority species for 'rapid reaction' in 2008.…”

“…Damage to crops was reported from the outskirts of Barcelona in 2001, where a group of 120 monk parakeets frequented the area and caused damage ranging from mean values of 0.4% to 37% depending on the crop type. The damage to tomatoes was estimated at €8000 in the same year; today the population has tripled and thus the damage is expected to have grown accordingly …”

“…33,34 Crop losses of ≤ 36% by this parrot species in Europe have been recorded mostly for the outskirts of Barcelona (Spain), where one of the largest European populations occurs. 35,36 Preliminary data on impacts by monk parakeets are also available for crops in Italy with up to 25% loss of tomatoes in home gardens in Rome and up to 50% loss of cabbages in Apulia, southern Italy. 37 In north-eastern Italy, anecdotal evidence indicates damage to vineyards.…”

New records of invasive Parakeet hybrids in Spain. A great opportunity to apply the rapid response mechanism

“…The RRP, AP and MP are considered invasive species in Europe (DAISIE 2016). Their impacts have been documented on crops and native wildlife across their invasive and native range (Dubois 2007;Strubbe et al 2010;Menchetti & Mori 2014;Peck et al 2014;Senar et al 2016;Yosef et al 2016); although, the population of AP in Europe is probably too low to register a conspicuous damage . A risk assessment conducted recently classified the AP under the category 'high risk of threat to biodiversity across the EU within the next ten years' (Roy et al 2015).…”