CHICAGO (AP) — Three Illinois biology professors have started the “Chicago Parakeet Project.”

The biologists are hoping the public can help them gather information about the city’s monk parakeet population. According to the University of Illinois-Chicago, the green parakeets descended from escaped or freed pet birds and have adapted to Chicago’s cold weather. There are more than 500 known nesting sites.

The professors are from UIC, the University of Chicago and St. Xavier University. Emily Minor of the University of Illinois at Chicago says the professors are hoping to find the location of every nest in the Chicago area to learn more about the birds.

Information about the birds can be submitted at the UIC Web site.

Chicago Parakeet Project:

 http://www.uic.edu/labs/minor/chicago-parakeet.html

Posted 9/22/2009