Escaped Central Park parakeet hangs with sparrows as winter looms

An escaped budgerigar known as Mei Mei has been living in Central Park among a flock of House Sparrows, a development that has drawn attention from birders and park-goers as winter approaches. The bright-green parakeet has been spotted in the park’s Seneca Village area near the Upper West Side since Aug. 20 and has been at large for about a month, according to local observers who track avian movements.

Birders say Mei Mei has shed domestic life and joined the sparrow flock. "She’s become a sparrow. Literally," said Sean Mintz, an Upper East Side investor who runs the Bagels & Walks birding account on X. "But she doesn’t know what’s coming." Mintz noted that while being taken in previously gave the bird a better chance than many released or escaped Budgerigars, Mei Mei "is just not built for this environment," and "in two weeks it might be too cold for her."

In the wild she’s been observed moving with sparrows and showing some of the quirks of a wild bird. The Budgerigar, also known as a budgie, is native to Australia and is typically domesticated in New York because it cannot survive Big Apple winters without an indoor environment kept around 70 degrees. In contrast, monk parakeets that have colonized parts of the city can survive outdoors in winters. Birders say Mei Mei survives by foraging for grass seeds and possibly insects and relies on the sparrow flock’s vigilance. "The Budgerigar survives by eating grass seeds and possibly bugs. She stays safe by foraging with a House Sparrow flock: if one bird notices danger and flies away, the entire flock will join in flight," said David Barrett, who runs the X account Manhattan Bird Alert. "This is great for its short-term survival, but it now behaves like a wild bird, and this makes it quite challenging to rescue by ordinary means."

The birding community is divided. Some celebrate Mei Mei’s independence as a symbol of freedom, a pet turned wild in the city’s edges. Others worry about her long-term survival and fear she will be unable to endure winter if she remains with the sparrows. Mintz and Barrett note that the parakeet’s behavior has shifted since first joining the flock: she now mirrors sparrow movements, avoids human contact when approached, and seems to prefer the foraging style of her new companions. "The fact that she was taken in gives her a better chance than some, but she’s just not built for this environment, and she doesn’t know at the moment that in two weeks it might be too cold for her," Mintz said.

Mei Mei’s life outside captivity has prompted debate about rescue versus freedom. The Australian birds do not store fat and cannot survive once temperatures drop below 50 degrees, meaning rescuers have just about four weeks to capture Mei Mei and bring her indoors. Birders are hoping that the impending cold weather will slow Mei Mei down enough so they can finally catch her and determine whether she can be returned to her owner or placed in a suitable home. The window for intervention, observers say, is narrow and time-sensitive as autumn gives way to winter.

The case also highlights species differences within urban wildlife. Monk parakeets, a related green species, have established large urban populations in parks and cemeteries around New York City, thriving in outdoor environments. Budgerigars, by contrast, are typically kept as pets and are not adapted for sustained outdoor life in the city’s winter climate. The contrast has fueled discussion about human responsibility toward escaped or released birds and how best to balance welfare with urban ecosystem realities.

As Mei Mei continues to mingle with sparrows, observers await the weather’s next move. If a cold snap arrives, rescuers may gain new opportunities to intervene. In the meantime, Mei Mei has become a symbol of life’s unpredictability in a city that blends pet keeping, nature, and survival, a living reminder that some creatures adapt quickly while others face a harsher climate. The next steps will determine not only Mei Mei’s fate but also how New York’s birding community interprets the boundaries between captivity, freedom, and care.