Rose Ringed Parakeets

DrewPics

DrewPics

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No photos from me, but I didnt realise they'd found their way to Greenwich Park. I spotted at least 8 pairs there earlier today.

Does anyone know roughly how far they have been spotted in number?
 
They are spreading well. A work colleague who lives close to Croydon sees them regularly.

In east London I have see them about 20 times in the last 30 years and all but two or three of those sightings have been in the last year.

There is rarely a week goes by that I don't see some, usually in small groups of 6 or so, but once or twice a flock of about 20.

This was taken in Wanstead Park in mid December - not that good sorry to say - a dull day and they were in a tree on an island.



They are not uncommon in south London, parts of Surrey, Sussex and Kent. Less common north of London, though have heard of odd sightings in Lincolnshire and Glasgow (but both of these may have been individual escapees).

One estimate I seen suggests the population is about 4,500

Dave
 
Tringa said:
One estimate I seen suggests the population is about 4,500

Dave
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You can easily multiply that figure of 10.

The current population of the flock covering London and the outlying areas is up to about 40-60,000.

Their numbers are expanding at such a rate that they'll be rivalling pigeons as the leading feral bird in the near future.

With any luck they'll be put on the cull list soon.
 
The gits live around us and make a right racket. They also tend to scare away smaller birds because of the bloody noise. Unfortunately I think getting my shotgun out and doing some 'culling' in my terraced house back garden might get me into trouble! ;)
 
They are already on the schedule of birds that may be legally shot....I know a couple of pest controllers who regularly get called out to shoot them, along with feral pigeons.

Shame they are so far south, I shoot a lot! I use an air rifle more and more in favour of the powder burners, other than putting a deer in the freezer where I have no option.

I would love the chance to shoot a couple of these avian pests - no business being here and the fruit grower down south have a terrible time with them.
 
menthel said:
The gits live around us and make a right racket. They also tend to scare away smaller birds because of the bloody noise. Unfortunately I think getting my shotgun out and doing some 'culling' in my terraced house back garden might get me into trouble! ;)
Click to expand...

I think their alternative name, the ring-necked parakeet is more appropriate as I had happily ring their necks!

I'd love to get an air rifle and get them out of my garden but that's not really a safe proposition in an urban garden.

The Woodland gardens in Bushy Park used to be full of the sounds of small birds, both native and migratory but now sounds like the jungle.

I don't mean to offend animal lovers, I wouldn't really consider harming any animals, just needed to vent a little steam about these out-of-place interlopers!
 
I can vouch that they're around in numbers in both Egham and Redhill in Surrey. It seems that they've also established themselves around Europe and worldwide (see link).
 
There's a small flock in south Manchester......12 I believe is the largest number counted together though there is likely more.
 
Lensflare said:
They are already on the schedule of birds that may be legally shot....I know a couple of pest controllers who regularly get called out to shoot them, along with feral pigeons.

Shame they are so far south, I shoot a lot! I use an air rifle more and more in favour of the powder burners, other than putting a deer in the freezer where I have no option.

I would love the chance to shoot a couple of these avian pests - no business being here and the fruit grower down south have a terrible time with them.
Click to expand...

Under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 all wild birds, their nests and eggs, are protected by law - this includes non-native birds such as parakeets. While there is provision for a landowner to apply to government for a licence to use lethal measures under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 scaring and exclusion tactics should be tried and shown to be ineffective and lethal measures can be considered as a last resort.
 
siomn said:
Under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 all wild birds, their nests and eggs, are protected by law - this includes non-native birds such as parakeets. While there is provision for a landowner to apply to government for a licence to use lethal measures under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 scaring and exclusion tactics should be tried and shown to be ineffective and lethal measures can be considered as a last resort.
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Hmmmmm Yes, very good cut and paste, apart from the fact that you missed one minor exception that usually goes after the All Wild Birds part in brackets:

(with the exception of some pest species)
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Parakeets were put on the pest schedule back in 2009, and with effect from 1/1/10 can be treated in exactly the same way as Canada Geese.

You might want to check your facts before bleating next time.
 
DemiLion said:
Hmmmmm Yes, very good cut and paste, apart from the fact that you missed one minor exception that usually goes after the All Wild Birds part in brackets:



Parakeets were put on the pest schedule back in 2009, and with effect from 1/1/10 can be treated in exactly the same way as Canada Geese.

You might want to check your facts before bleating next time.
Click to expand...

I did thankyou

http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/policy/species/nonnative/parakeets.aspx

and from Natural England


Earlier this week, Natural England announced changes to the licensing situation, which will be implemented from 1 January 2010, regarding the control of monk and ring-necked parakeets. Some media reports have indicated that Natural England is calling for the eradication of these species. We are not.

Other reports have suggested that because of the licensing changes, both species are now classed as pests and can be freely removed by members of the public.
This assertion is completely inaccurate and it is important to emphasise that the licensing changes do not affect the legal protection for either of these species.
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/about_us/news/2009/031009.aspx
 
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DemiLion said:
...You might want to check your facts before bleating next time.
Click to expand...

siomn said:
I did thankyou...
Click to expand...
Hmm! Gentlemen; can I direct you to a further (more exact) source of information: Legal pest control on Defra's website? And specifically the General Licence to kill or take certain wild birds to prevent serious damage or disease that applies, through provision 2(i)(b), to both the Monk Parakeet and the Ring-necked Parakeet. Note o. of the Licence explains that Condition 3 – which requires users to satisfy themselves that other appropriate legal methods of resolving the problem are either ineffective or impracticable - only applies to bird species that Natural England considers to be native to Great Britain. That is, the condition does not apply to these parakeet species. There are, however, other conditions that do need to be complied with and there is also another General Licence that applies only to one of the species.

Now, please take 10 paces, turn and ... :)
 
I live near croydon and just by mitcham common there is a harvester and there is literally between 30-40 of them in the trees. In the summer they often fly past my house and if I have my parrots in the garden they do land on the roof of the garage for a look.
 
DemiLion said:
You can easily multiply that figure of 10.

The current population of the flock covering London and the outlying areas is up to about 40-60,000.

Their numbers are expanding at such a rate that they'll be rivalling pigeons as the leading feral bird in the near future.

With any luck they'll be put on the cull list soon.
Click to expand...

We have approx. 50 pairs that roost in 2 trees at the end of our road. There are literaly hundreds in the cemetry where my dad's buried in Windsor.I even posted a pic of one on the feeder in my garden on here just before Xmas

As far as I am aware they have been added to the list for
pest control. Soon as my arm is better I'm out to bag a few with the air rifle on one of my shoots.

Paul
 
Oddly enough I've just done the RSPB Garden Watch thing today and not a single parakeet to be seen.
A month ago I would have expected at least 2 dozen individuals over the course of 1 hour.

One of them has probably read this thread and the word's going round!
 
What is the problem with these birds?
Yes, they're not native. But they've been in this country so long, they're now "part of the furniture".
They don't make that much of a mess. Yes they're noisy, but what animals aren't?
 
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