The Biology degree raises awareness about the environmental impact of the Argentine parrot

The Biology degree raises awareness among citizens about the impact of the Argentine parrot on the ecosystem.

After five weeks of work, the Service-Learning (SLE) project led by Biology students at the Rey Juan Carlos University has come to an end. It focuses on monitoring the Argentine parrot population in Móstoles and raising awareness about the problems this invasive species poses in urban environments.

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Last Friday, May 9th, the closing session of the SL project for the management of the Argentine parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) in urban environments was held at the URJC Móstoles campus. The fifty-two URJC students involved in the project presented the various environmental education initiatives they have carried out in Móstoles and other nearby municipalities.

Through informative talks, videos, infographics, and various social media platforms, the students informed and raised awareness among the public about the impacts invasive alien species have on the environment, using the Argentine parrot as an example. Following the presentations, a roundtable discussion took place, ranging from various approaches to how parrot populations are being managed in Madrid to the crucial importance of population censuses for effective monitoring and control. The key role that environmental education can play in raising public awareness of this growing environmental problem was also analyzed.

The panel included experts from different fields related to the management of the Argentine parrot: Ignacio Aldea de la Morena, Head of Service of the company Matinsa who spoke about her experience in the actions of control of parrots in the city of Madrid, Sara Calleja, Technician of Parks and Gardens of the Municipality of Mostoles who presented future plans and strategies to address the management of this species in his municipality, and Jon Blanco González, a predoctoral researcher at the URJC who contributed his scientific perspective on this situation.

This Social Work project, led by professors Luis Cayuela and Isabel López-Rull, has offered biology students practical experience in the field of conservation biology. After receiving specialized training, the students completed the parrot census in the municipality of Móstoles for 2025. The data obtained will be a fundamental tool for the City Council when planning and implementing local management strategies for this invasive species. In addition to the census, the students developed and implemented various awareness-raising activities in Móstoles and Coslada.