By Brenda Ramirez, Moore Lab of Zoology, Occidental College

Non-native parrots have become a very present and boisterous element of the urban ecosystems of Southern California. They range across the region from cities to natural areas, and can be found in a variety of habitats, coexisting with people.

Through the Free-Flying Los Angeles Parrot Project (FLAPP) on iNaturalist, we created a data set focused on two prominent species in Southern California, the Red-Crowned and Lilac-Crowned Parrots.

Above: A flock of 10 Red-Crowned Parrots have a chatty roost in a leafy tree

These two parrots originally were from opposite coasts of Mexico and never mixed in the wild. However, after being introduced through the illegal pet trade, these sister species have established their populations and even have created mixed-species flocks that would not be possible otherwise.

That's why they are model organisms for answering questions on range shifts and hybridization. Their unique displacement to Los Angeles has led them to coexist for the first time.

Right: A Lilac-Crowned Parrot perches on a sturdy tree branch

In the past our research has been focused on distinguishing the two species based on morphological features, comparing the environmental conditions of their native ranges in Mexico and their introduced range here in Southern California. Now, we are shifting focus to understanding how their genetic makeup has been affected by their new environment and the interbreeding.

Join us to learn how you can contribute to our research with iNaturalist from your own neighborhoods! And, join FLAPP on iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/free-flying-los-angeles-parrot-project)