Recent Occurrences and Potential for Establishment of Egyptian Goose and Agapornis Lovebirds in Yolo County, California

Abstract

When birders encounter non-native (exotic) species, most commonly waterfowl or psittacids (parrot family), the tendency is often to dismiss these birds as escapees that are unlikely to survive in the wild and to not report the observations to eBird and regional birding listservs. As a result, the early stages of establishment of non-native species often are poorly documented. This note aims to offset this tendency by documenting the presence of a small flock of Egyptian Geese (Alopochen aegyptiaca) and a small flock of lovebirds (Agapornis sp.) recently discovered in Yolo County, California. We also consider the likelihood that these two flocks may become the founders of local breeding populations.