The habits of Monks
The meadow here in Rome is full to bursting with thistles with huge flower heads. The sight is as gorgeous as walking through them is painful.
The Monk Parakeet, Myiopsitta monachus, is a bird from Argentina. They adore these thistles as much as I adore a capricciosa pizza, and I really do love a capricciosa pizza. It’s known as a ‘clean the fridge’ pizza because it has so many toppings. I always have it without the prosciutto cotto, though.
These Monk Parakeets are stripping the heads with the simplest bite and flying off with them.
They can live 20 to 30 years, so that means a lot of thistles.
They’re beautiful to watch, but seriously out of place. Until they accumulate some natural predators and competitors, they will march on and spread unchallenged.
They are fabulous character.