Long Island crews are racing to remove giant parakeet nests before they spark outages

Utility poles along a stretch of Long Island, New York, are carrying more than electrical equipment. In Lindenhurst, monk parakeets have turned them into nesting sites, drawing attention both for the birds' vivid green color and the strain their oversized homes could place on the power system.

What's happening?

Along Montauk Highway, a group of monk parakeets — also called Quaker parrots — has built sprawling stick nests atop utility poles. NBC New York reported that Public Service Enterprise Group Long Island warned that these nests, some reaching roughly 10 feet in diameter and weighing several hundred pounds, can affect electrical equipment, posing fire risks and the possibility of power failures.

The species comes from South America, though monk parakeets have been living in New York since the 1960s. NBC New York reported that many people believe they first appeared there after escaping from a damaged crate at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Since then, the parakeets have adapted well to city and suburban life, and utility poles seem to offer exactly what they need: height, shelter, and sturdy support for their unusually large communal nests.

The birds are colorful and charismatic, but for stores and restaurants that depend on reliable electricity, the nests can also bring costly uncertainty.

Why does it matter?

For businesses, even a brief power outage can mean spoiled food, interrupted sales, and frustrated customers. For residents, outages can disrupt daily life, while any fire risk involving energized equipment raises safety concerns.

Conflicts with wildlife are often not just about animals moving into human spaces but about human activity reshaping where animals live and how they behave. In this case, the parakeets' presence may be traced back to a damaged shipping crate, while their nesting habits have been shaped by human-made infrastructure.

What's being done?

According to NBC New York, PSEG Long Island tries to take down the nests before breeding season so the work is less likely to injure the birds. When crews come across eggs or chicks, those animals are brought to a sanctuary.

NBC New York also reported that the utility is coordinating with researcher Alison Evans-Fragale, who has spent years studying monk parakeets, on an approach to nest removal intended to protect both public safety and the birds.

Some locals have wondered whether the birds could be encouraged to nest elsewhere. Steve Zendzian, owner of M-Spec Performance, told NBC New York: "Maybe put up a fake pole with fake transformers, and they'll be attracted to that. But it's going to be difficult to train them to go to a different pole."

"I love them all the time. I take pictures of them," Andre Dola, manager of Luigi's Best Pizza, said. "But sometimes, they come and knock the power out."

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