Carolina Parakeet Diets

The Carolina parakeet, extinct since 1918, was the only parrot native to the continental United States north of Mexico. About the size of a small crow, the Carolina parakeet was emerald green with a yellow head and orange bill. Its habitat was deciduous forests, forest edges and river bottom lands from the Great Lakes to the Great Plains and along the Gulf Coast from Texas and up to the District of Columbia. Correspondingly, the parakeet's food preferences ranged widely.

  1. Cocklebur and Other Seeds

    • The Carolina parakeet's favorite food was the seed of the cocklebur. This plant's population exploded after the parakeet became extinct because no other animal is known to eat it. The parakeet also favored the seeds of thistles and of trees such as maple, elm, pine, apple, peach, mulberry, pecan, grape and dogwood.

    Fruits

    • The Carolina parakeet's penchant for fruits, especially apples, peaches and grapes, hastened the species' demise because the farmer considered it a pest and shot it on sight. Traveling in flocks of 200 or more, these birds did cause considerable damage to orchards. Although many farmers retaliated by killing them indiscriminately, some "valued them for controlling the invasive cocklebur," said biologist and writer Barbara Kingsolver.

    Corn and Other Cereal Grain Crops

    • Carolina parakeets loved grains, including corn and other cereal crops, which also put them into conflict with farmers. From the 1800s to the early part of the 1900s, farms were small; the harvest fed the farmer's family and what was left was sold. One flock of parakeets could wipe out a season's planting, so farmers acted swiftly when they heard the noisy squawking of these birds, killing as many as they could. The birds were known to assist wounded flock members, making them even more vulnerable to the gun.

    Other Causes of Extinction

    • The last Carolina parakeet died in the Cincinnati Zoo in 1918, three years after the last wild one was killed. In addition to being slaughtered by farmers, the bird was hastened to extinction by other factors, including habitat destruction. They were sold as pets and their feathers were used for ladies' hats. A recent April Fool's prank reported that the species had been rediscovered in Honduras.