Burrowing parrots in Las Lajas, Argentina

© Cagan Hakki Sekercioglu/Getty Image

Digging the birds

Burrowing parrots, sometimes called burrowing parakeets, are native to the arid Monte Desert of western Argentina. The birds use their beaks and talons to hollow out nesting spaces in soft limestone cliffs found in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. The parrots sometimes end up captured and sold as pets for the wild bird trade. While that's not illegal—burrowing parrots aren't endangered—bird lovers argue that a parrot is going to be healthier and happier in its natural habitat.