Ring Necket Parakeets

[jamiewade94]

Hi all!

Has any body ever been lucky enough to see wild Ring Necked Parakeets? I saw some in London a few weeks ago:

[JeffH]

My first sighting of Ring-necked Parakeets was when we had one in our garden here in Cambridgeshire some 30 years ago and, like you Jamie, I saw several in a south London park a few months ago.

There's now a well established wild population of these birds in this country but in very localised areas. I seem to recall reading somewhere that several thousand roost (very noisily) in trees near a rugby ground in the Ealing or Enfield area.

Jeff

[solus]

Wrong "E" Jeff - it's Esher!

[Bwrack]

Originally Posted by jamiewade94

Hi all!

Has any body ever been lucky enough to see wild Ring Necked Parakeets? I saw some in London a few weeks ago:

In this part of South East London/Kent..they absolutely abound !! though they are very common they still manage to take the eye ...recently I saw a crowd of them mobbing a grey heron....I thought that was a bit of a cheek because I still think of them as aliens !

[Seajay]

Does anyone know how fast they are spreading and to where? When they form these colonies what holds them there? Presumably some food source. Do people who have them locally have any problems with them? Are they OK with other species? It would be most interesting to hear.

Colin

[JeffH]

Originally Posted by solus

Wrong "E" Jeff - it's Esher!

Cheers Solus - I knew it started with an "E" but nearly threw Epping in as well

Jeff

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Seajay

Does anyone know how fast they are spreading and to where? When they form these colonies what holds them there? Presumably some food source. Do people who have them locally have any problems with them? Are they OK with other species? It would be most interesting to hear.

Colin

They are very widespread in many parts of the London area now + apparently increasing by between 15-30% per annum- the birds are long-lived, have no real natural predators + good recruitment of young birds.

They can be aggressive + there are anecdotal stories of individuals displacing other species from the nest sites, yet to date there's been no real evidence that other species have declined because of these invaders.

In Richmond Park where there are probably several hundred (difficult to census) there have been monthly bird count transects for c8 years now + each year there has been a large annual increase in RNP numbers, yet none of the other cavity nesters have shown a decline + a couple of these species have also increased.

There's been some concern as to whether they may have a detrimental effect on bats using trees, though again I'm not aware of any hard evidence.

These successful birds are probably here to stay, but there may be some selective controlling in the future, especially if the species comes into conflict with agriculture.

There's also the possibility of other parrots becoming established- there's a couple of small colonies of Monk Parakeet around London (now common in parts of southern Spain) + I've had a Senegal Parrot (originally a pair) around my area for over a couple of years which now associates with a RNP.

[agrumpycow]

There's a small-ish flock just outside Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. I usually hear them way before hearing them but they're not hard to spot.

It makes you wonder if they have followed the Thames as they spread, I've often heard that Red Kites tend to follow motorways as they spread.

[Seajay]

Thanks to you both. What do they feed on? They would be interesting to study and to watch the effects on the flora and fauna as they advance. They undoubtedly will it would seem. I do so hope they haven't some sort of disease that affects other species. They appear to be settling in without harm though.

Colin

[agrumpycow]

According to the RSPB their diet includes fruit, berries, nuts and seeds. It's no more specific than that so I guess as long as the numbers in a flock is so large that food supply is not limited for native species, which I doubt it would, I would presume there wouldn't be a problem.
It doesn't mention any diseases so I guess there are non known at the moment.

[Susie]

When I lived in Hayes, West London, I had them in the garden feeding on pyracanthus; that was a sight, I can tell you, but it wasn't common to get them in my garden. Every dawn and dusk they would fly over on the way to and from their roost though.

[Hobjob]

There is also a sizeable flock south of Dorking - in the trees of the Field studies centre.

[ColonelBlimp]

I'll be extremely surprised if the RP Parakeets don't do damage to the native flora and fauna as they expand, especially as I read somewhere that they displace other hole-nesting birds.

I hope they aren't going to turn into dare I say it a grey squirrel-type problem in the future! Otherwise I can see that turning into another 20-page argumentative thread!

[Muggsy]

Originally Posted by ColonelBlimp

I'll be extremely surprised if the RP Parakeets don't do damage to the native flora and fauna as they expand, especially as I read somewhere that they displace other hole-nesting birds.

I hope they aren't going to turn into dare I say it a grey squirrel-type problem in the future!

Here in Kent they are doing all the above and more. Without exaggerating, we have thousands gathering every evening, before leaving for, what appears to be, London. They arrive in groups of 50 or more and hang around for others to join them. Once the flock is a couple of hundred strong they head off W.N.W this continues for a couple of hours.

Often just before dark, a straggler group will come across the fields, very low and very very fast, just like racing pigeons.

They are breeding more or less, for 12 months a year, I know this for a fact, I rather stupidly errected some nest boxes about 8 years ago

Last year a small flock were responsible for a complete change of my phone line. It was funny watching their antics, swinging and playing on the line, until I found out why the phone and computer wouldn't work.

It took 8 weeks to discover the fault and rectify it

On our main lawn we have an old apple tree, the main trunk is only 4ft before the branches start. A Green Woodpecker knocked a hole in this a few years ago and successfully reared a brood or two. Early last year, before the woodies came back, a pair of ring necks took over the site and have been breeding in it ever since, talk about defend it too.
Tell ya what though, I dont dislike having them around

[badgerwatcher]

I have seen quite a few colonies around the country. There is a colony in a park in Hanwell, and in Ramsgate there are a large number. They spread quite a distance along the coast.

[jamiewade94]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

[ColonelBlimp]

Here in Kent they are doing all the above and more. Without exaggerating, we have thousands gathering every evening, before leaving for, what appears to be, London. They arrive in groups of 50 or more and hang around for others to join them. Once the flock is a couple of hundred strong they head off W.N.W this continues for a couple of hours.

I will happily wager one piece of Dairy Milk that the following will happen in the next few years:
-Proof will come about that they are doing damage by rapid expansion.
-Nothing will be done because they are pretty and noone will want to hurt them.

I know, I know, from previous diatribes against other, more furry friends, I may seem a little hardcore towards invasive species. However, I do feel that in cases such as these we need to act decisively as soon as possible.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by ColonelBlimp

I will happily wager one piece of Dairy Milk that the following will happen in the next few years:
-Proof will come about that they are doing damage by rapid expansion.
-Nothing will be done because they are pretty and noone will want to hurt them.

I know, I know, from previous diatribes against other, more furry friends, I may seem a little hardcore towards invasive species. However, I do feel that in cases such as these we need to act decisively as soon as possible.

Ruddy Duck are very attractive, aren't a problem within the UK, yet are being exterminated (because of perceived problems elsewhere).!

[jamiewade94]

I have seen Ruddy Duck. Has anyone ever seen them bubble up the water infront of them?

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by jamiewade94

I have seen Ruddy Duck. Has anyone ever seen them bubble up the water infront of them?

Yes, many times- part of their courtship display- fun to watch!

[jamiewade94]

Yeh I know

[Adam Cheeseman]

When the Esher roost was at it's height (7,000-8,000) I used to get flocks of several hundred at a time going to and from roost over my house. The birds have now largely left Esher and have taken up residence between Staines and Wraysbury, the latter being the original large roost site.

I've been told of territorial parakeets beheading crows before, but the parakeets will do most damage to hole nester populations. If Willow Tit and Lesser Spots weren't hard enough to find before they certainly will be in the future. Greater Spots seem to be more able to cope with them for the time being though. I think the BTO's line at the moment is that there is no obvious connection between drops in particular species due to the presence of RNPs.

Considering how many there are in the southwest London/Berks/Surrey area now, it always surprises me when someone asks if it's possible that they could have seen a wild parrot, given that they are lurid green and one of the noisiest birds around.

Cheers,

Adam

[badgerwatcher]

Yes, shame about the call! Not the prettiest song.

[aeshna5]

If anyone didn't see it Bill Oddie was looking at these birds in Richmond Park last night on the TV + he is obviously a fan. It was interesting to see the GS Woodpecker on a branch happily going about its business below a RNP.

Adam- I'm very sceptical about the crow beheading!

[rlchew]

My regular site for RNPs is Northdown Park between Margate and Ramsgate (if I recall correctly without looking at a map) in Kent.



I also saw a few RNPs in Richmond Park when I went up there in the Autumn to photograph the Red Deer.

Richard