Perceptions and attitudes toward control of invasive monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) in citizens from Santiago metropolis, Chile

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106577Get rights and content

Highlights

  • ●
    Perceived impacts on biodiversity and health are key to support for species control.
  • ●
    Health and economic risks are underestimated despite known ecological impact.
  • ●
    Management requires effective communication about the real risks of the species.

Abstract

The monk parakeet, one of the world’s most invasive birds, has thrived in urban areas and causes environmental, economic, and health impacts. These challenges underline the need for control measures, though public perception can affect efforts. This study explores attitudes toward monk parakeet management among residents from Santiago, Chile. Five-hundred and four online surveys were applied and distributed through online social networks aimed at inhabitants in the Metropolitan Region. Although most citizens recognize that the parakeets can produce environmental impact, respondents do not consider them as a threat to health or the economy. Seventy percent of participants believe there should be a population control program for monk parakeets in place, and the control method is not significantly related to people’s support. Sixty percent of respondents support parakeet eradication if they cause damage to native species or if they transmit pathogens to humans or other animals. However, this acceptability decreased considerably if eradication is conducted due to economic damages. Our results demonstrate that, despite a high level of appreciation to parakeets, there is a general willingness to support its management, including eradication, in pursuit of biodiversity conservation and public health. However, citizens need information to know the threats of this invasive bird, given that management initiatives will receive greater support when society understands the potential parakeet impact on environmental, health, or economic realms and when specific and compelling methods are used. It is important for decision-makers to acknowledge beliefs and concerns that could hinder the management of monk parakeets in order to prevent social conflicts.

Introduction

Invasive species are those that, intentionally or unintentionally aided by humans, have increased their geographic range, occupying regions where they were not previously present (Elton, 1958, Mack et al., 2000, Kolar and Lodge, 2001, Lockwood et al., 2007, Pereyra, 2016, Castro and Jaksic, 2021). Together with habitat loss and climate change, invasive species are considered one of the main threats to biodiversity globally (Simberloff et al., 2013). Once established, invasive species can impact the functioning and composition of the ecosystems they invade (Hulme, 2007). However, the impact of these species may go beyond the ecological realm, as some invasive species can affect human health, international trade, the production of goods and services, as well as sociocultural aspects, impoverishing human population (Davis, 2009, Menchetti and Mori, 2014, Araos et al., 2020). For this reason, it becomes necessary to assess the human dimension associated with biological invasions, given that local communities can condition the success or failure of any control measure focused on these species. The perception of community upon invasive species involves a series of values that may differ across the people or groups involved in the debate (Fischer et al., 2014, Carneiro, 2017). For this reason, different actors may have different perceptions and attitudes toward this problem, and management will depend on these attitudes (Schüttler et al., 2011). Attitudes are numerous and flexible constructs based on several beliefs and value trade-offs that involve preferences or evaluations in specific situations (Fulton et al., 1996). Hence, beliefs influence attitudes and guide behaviors towards diverse aspects (Carneiro, 2017, Estévez et al., 2015). Moreover, public perception can change over time as the presence and impacts of invasive species become more visible in urban environments, especially when these species are conspicuous, such as parrots (Mori et al., 2020, Ribeiro et al., 2021).
Control initiatives targeting charismatic species, such as monk parakeets, may result in conflict over management decisions (Bidegain et al., 2023). Affinity toward exotic species introduced through the pet trade often obstruct control efforts, particularly when those species are aesthetically attractive or associated with companion animals (Mori et al., 2020, Ribeiro et al., 2021). Therefore, the diversity of perceptions about invasive species and attitudes towards control measures makes invasion management a complex controversy that requires not only biological, but also social approaches to be appropriately addressed (Rotherham and Lambert, 2011, Estévez et al., 2015, Carneiro, 2017). This approach is important because strategies may need to include additional steps to prevent the emergence of conflicts, ensuing from the implementation of management strategies, especially when they involve the control of appealing species, such as monk parakeets (Bidegain, 2023; Crowley et al., 2019). In this regard, educational campaigns are strongly recommended to promote awareness about the ecological and social impacts of invasive species and thereby encourage public support for management actions (Mori et al., 2020, Ribeiro et al., 2021).
The monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) was intentionally introduced into several countries fueled by the international exotic pet trade and now is considered one of the most invasive birds globally (Iriarte et al., 2005, Russello et al., 2008, Souviron-Priego et al., 2018). This species is native to Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay, but currently considered an invasive species in more than 20 countries around the world (Briceño et al., 2017, Preston and Pruett-Jones, 2021). The monk parakeet is unique among the parrot family because is the only species able to build its own communal nests, thus considered an ecosystem engineer (Briceño et al., 2019). These communal nests are formed by many chambers and can weigh up to 1000 kg (Bucher et al., 1991, Domènech et al., 2003). Cities remain as one of the preferred invaded habitats by this species, where they may damage human infrastructure, such as utility poles, through the construction of their large and heavy nests (Avery et al., 2002, Rodríguez-Pastor et al., 2012). Notwithstanding, in certain invaded cities, urban colonies have dispersed into neighboring rural areas, causing damage to crops (Senar et al., 2016, Postigo et al., 2017). Further, in their native range, monk parakeets are considered agricultural pests, causing an estimated million-dollar annual losses in damaged crops (Iriarte et al., 2005, Canavelli et al., 2012). Monk parakeets are also loud, being perceived as a source of noise pollution (Temple, 1992, Conroy and Senar, 2009).
The monk parakeet was introduced in Chile as part of the international trade for exotic birds and began to invade the city of Santiago in 1972, when a group of individuals were released in the eastern part of the city. Since then, 15,000 Monk Parakeets were legally imported from Argentina and Uruguay for pet trade until its ban in 1997 by the government (Iriarte et al., 2005). Initially, colonies were reported in the Metropolitan Region and the city of Valparaíso, but recently it has been observed in other Chilean regions (Aramburú, 2018, Briceño et al., 2021: ISSG, 2023). Now in Chile, monk parakeets appear to remain in urban environments, and disjunct colonies are present in cities from Tarapacá to Los Lagos regions (Aramburú, 2018, Briceño et al., 2022). In Santiago, monk parakeets are increasing their abundance and distribution and they appear to be interbreeding freely (Briceño et al., 2022, Sandoval-Rodríguez et al., 2024). Agonistic interactions with monk parakeets and occupation of parakeets’ nests by native and invasive bird species were reported in the Metropolitan region and may represent a threat to native birds (Briceño et al., 2019, Briceño et al., 2021). Further, parakeets are selective to certain tree species to nests in Santiago and may affect native tree species by consumption of their unripe fruits (Briceño et al., 2022, Larraechea et al., 2022, Plaza, 2021). Ectoparasites have been found in monk parakeets, which can be transmitted to other bird species, representing a threat to local native birds (Briceño et al., 2017, Briceño et al., 2021). Zoonotic pathogens have also been identified in this invasive parakeet, with the potential to affect other animals, including people. This is important as monk parakeets may be playing a role as potential sources of zoonotic pathogens in populated cities where they are abundant (Briceño et al., 2017, Briceño et al., 2021, Briceño et al., 2023, Sandoval-Rodríguez et al., 2021, Larraechea et al., 2023).
On the other hand, parrots are one of the most popular pets, reason why monk parakeets were introduced in 20 countries around the world, becoming a successful invasive species due to accidental and intentional releases (Iriarte et al., 2005, Menchetti and Mori, 2014, Cardador et al., 2017, ISSG, 2023, Preston and Pruett-Jones, 2021). Thus, monk parakeets are appreciated by some people, who see them as pets to be adopted and cared for. Hence, groups of citizens have engaged in protests when invasive monk parakeet nests have been removed in USA or England (Crowley et al., 2019, Pruett-Jones et al., 2012, Ribeiro et al., 2021). For this reason, knowing and understanding people's perception and attitudes toward management of this species, play a pivotal role in the development of urban strategies and design of socially accepted control and management policies (Crowley et al., 2019, Ribeiro et al., 2021). Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the perception and attitudes toward management in citizens from Santiago Metropolitan Region of Chile toward monk parakeets, and the factors determining their support for a control program, in order to determine acceptability to support management strategies and its viability. In accordance with the particular features of parakeets and the conflicts arising from their control in other countries, we expect: 1. High level of appreciation for this species, despite its invasive status; 2. Sociodemographic variables and education level are likely to affect perceptions and attitudes toward the presence and management of this species and 3. Citizen perception concerning environmental, health, or economic impacts of monk parakeets influences their level of support for control programs.

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Section snippets

Study area

The study was conducted in Santiago, the capital city in the Metropolitan Region of Chile, which concentrates one third of the country’s population (INE, 2017). The Metropolitan Region has an area of 15403.20 km2, equivalent to 2.0 % of the national territory. It is composed of 52 municipalities and according to the latest census, its population reached 7112,808 inhabitants, with a density of 461.77 inhabitants per square kilometer (INE, 2017). This territory spans along latitudes 33º26’S and

Sociodemographic features

A total of 881 responses were obtained, of which 504 met the inclusion criteria and thus, were included in this study. The distribution of surveyed citizens is presented on Fig. 1 (Fig. 1), where a greater participation was observed from municipalities of Providencia (n = 49), Santiago (n = 45) and Ñuñoa (n = 43). Age distribution of respondents ranged from 18 to 72 years, with a 44 % concentrating between ages of 18 and 29 with a mean of 34.4 ± 12.0 years. Regarding gender, 59.3 % of

Discussion

In this study, 504 online surveys responded by residents from the Metropolitan Region in Chile were analyzed to assess people's perceptions to invasive monk parakeets, their impacts and attitudes toward population control measures, as well as to evaluate the sociodemographic factors and individual beliefs that influence such opinions.
Roughly 60 % of participants were women, though this proportion does not coincide with the proportion for the Region, where about 51 % corresponds to women (INE,

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Matilde Larraechea: Writing – original draft, Supervision, Project administration. Dos Santos Angela: Investigation, Formal analysis, Data curation. Claudia Cerda: Validation, Supervision. Alegría Raúl: Validation, Formal analysis, Data curation. Cristóbal Briceño: Writing – review & editing, Resources, Methodology, Funding acquisition, Conceptualization.

Funding

This work was funded by the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID)/ FONDECYT Initiation No. 11160852 and by ANID/Scholarship Program/BECA DE DOCTORADO NACIONAL/2021—21210705.

Declaration of Competing Interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to professors Tamara Tadich, José Manuel Yáñez, Christopher Hamilton-West, Daniela Luna and Vladimir Venegas for their invaluable comments and suggestions.

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