Meet the escaped parakeet hanging with wild sparrows in Central Park — whose days might be numbered
A bright green parakeet has joined a flock of House Sparrows in Central Park. Sean Mintz of Bagels & Walks
For the past month, a bright green parakeet has been living among sparrows in Central Park, delighting birders while worrying them at the same time. The escaped budgerigar—nicknamed Mei Mei—has embraced her new flock and her newfound freedom, but experts warn she has only weeks before the cold New York winter threatens her survival.
Spotted since late August near the park’s Seneca Village area, Mei Mei has fully adapted to life with house sparrows, mimicking their habits and fleeing at the first sign of people. “She’s become a sparrow—literally,” said Sean Mintz, a birder who has been tracking her movements online. “But she doesn’t know what’s coming.”
Unlike the hardy monk parakeets that thrive in parts of the city, budgerigars are native to Australia and depend on warm environments. Without the body fat to endure freezing weather, they rarely survive outdoors in New York once temperatures dip below 50 degrees.
For now, Mei Mei is blending in with her adopted flock, feeding on grass seeds and relying on the sparrows’ group defense against predators. Birders say her wild instincts are making her nearly impossible to catch. “This is great for short-term survival, but it now behaves like a wild bird, and this makes it quite challenging to rescue,” noted David Barrett of Manhattan Bird Alert.
The bird’s fate has sparked debate in the birding community: some celebrate her freedom as symbolic, while others scramble to save her from a likely fatal winter. With only a few weeks left before cold weather sets in, rescuers hope they can capture Mei Mei and return her to an owner—or at least find her a safe new home.
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