While birding on my second day at Fort De Soto Park, I noticed two Nanday Parakeets perched quietly on a snag in the same tree. After photographing them, I watched as they flew together to a nearby branch, where their behavior shifted into something far more intimate. Side by side, they began to preen and nuzzle—an interaction known as allopreening, a behavior that strengthens pair bonds and social connections in parrots. I was able to follow and photograph the entire sequence from close range, witnessing a moment that felt both personal and rare. Native to South America but now well established in parts of Florida, Nanday Parakeets are highly social birds, often seen in noisy flocks—but it is these quieter, tender interactions that reveal the deeper connections within their world. A moment I will never forget.
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