Ring necked parakeets

[accipter]

I would be interested to know if anybody has seen these birds being regularly taken by sparrowhawks could I ask for a positive sighting or first hand knowledge only please thank you ..Alan.

[~T~]

I think that would be an odd sight but entirely possible since they take birds as big as woodies and magpies.

[Cowgirl]

Doesn't the bright colours mean they're not very nice to eat or is that only reptiles/amphibians?

[aeshna5]

I have only observed (on many occasions) groups of Ring-necked Parakeets mobbing Sparrowhawks, though I'm aware of London birders who observed both Sparrowhawk + Peregrine take a RNP.

I'm not aware of any habitual predation by Sparrowhawk on RNP.

[John B (NTS)]

Originally Posted by Cowgirl

Doesn't the bright colours mean they're not very nice to eat or is that only reptiles/amphibians?

Not sure that I buy that old chestnut. Over at Yat Rock a few seasons back one of the juvie Peregrines dined on Kingfisher on more than one occasion.

[Gatekeeper]

Originally Posted by John B (NTS)

Not sure that I buy that old chestnut. Over at Yat Rock a few seasons back one of the juvie Peregrines dined on Kingfisher on more than one occasion.

Ring-necked parakeet remains have been found at Peregrine nest sites in the UK.

[Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by John B (NTS)

Not sure that I buy that old chestnut. Over at Yat Rock a few seasons back one of the juvie Peregrines dined on Kingfisher on more than one occasion.

Aah, must admit did always wonder if it was one of those things you believe but have no actual base of fact behind.

[accipter]

No there are many exotic birds taken by predators cock pheasant being one, I expect sparrowhawk do take the odd parrakeet when the opportunity presents it self I know they do tend to keep in flocks making it more difficult for a s/hawk to catch, as no one so far has reported finding lots of piles of plucked parrakeet feathers around I presume they are not taken on a regular bases unless......

[Gatekeeper]

A study of Peregrine prey remains at 3 nest sites in SW England, between 1998 and 2007, found the remains of 14 cockatiels, 12 budgerigars, 4 parakeets and 1 Canary.

[SpikyPhasmid]

Originally Posted by Cowgirl

Aah, must admit did always wonder if it was one of those things you believe but have no actual base of fact behind.

I was under the impression that parrots used their colouring for display and identification purposes within their own species.