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They're illegal in Connecticut...
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Monk parakeets have been living free in Connecticut for 30 years. Wildlife officials in Connecticut in the early 1970's decided to allow the free flying monk parakeets to remain in the wild. While monk parakeets were considered an agricultural pest in their native Argentina, they appeared to pose little agricultural risk for Connecticut. Due to monks' ability to thrive in the wild in Connecticut, however, Connecticut's DEP created an ordinance prohibiting ownership of monk parakeets. You may own pet monk parakeets in New York.
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Since you can't legally own a pet monk parakeet in Connecticut, that should be your first guide as to whether you should make a pet of a monk parakeet. Furthermore, wild flying monk parakeets are just that - wild! Like all wild animals, they don't do well in captive pet environments. Monk parakeets are VERY loud sqwakers, hard biters, and they become very attached to one person in a household. Which person in a household a monk will bond with is never predictable. What is predictable is that monks tend to attack all household members with whom they have no bond. The best way to enjoy monk parakeets is to watch them in the wild.
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There are many locations in Connecticut where you can watch wild monks. One of the easiest and most convenient monk viewing locations is Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport. Monks nest, forage and raise their young over the grey and red wolf exhibits at Beardsley Zoo. You can also observe wild monk parakeets at Compo Beach in Westport, Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, at the cemetary on Burroughs Road and Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield, at the Regina Quick Center at Fairfield University, and, frequently, on the Milford Green. Monks now nest along Connecticut's shoreline from Greenwich to New Haven. The best times to observe monks at these locations is up to one hour after sunrise and from one hour before sundown until sundown. Monks spend an hour or so preparing to retire into the nests each evening.
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