monk parakeets may be culled

[Hobjob]

Alien parakeet's days could be numbered - Nature, Environment - The Independent

Because of the risk of their large nests the few hundred monk parakeets may get culled.

Watch this space

[RoyW]

If alien species are going to be 'removed', which can't be a bad thing IMO, then it's far better to deal with them before they spread and increase.


I found the following comment in the article quite amusing "Despite being similar in appearance and behaviour to the UK's 4,300 ring-necked parakeets" - it seems that they are so similar that the wrong bird was shown in the photo.
(admittedly not identified as anything over than a parakeet - by why not illustrate the species than the article is mainly about?).

[aeshna5]

Possibly one factor in favour of Monk Parakeet over the well established Ring-necked Parakeets is that they do build their own nests (the only parrot species to do so), so less of a factor of competion over nest sites than with a hole nester.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by RoyW

"Despite being similar in appearance and behaviour to the UK's 4,300 ring-necked parakeets"

Something of a massive underestimation of our RNP population too!

Cheers,

Adam

[STYRBJORN]

Both ring-necked and monk parakeets are on general licence. They can be shot, live-trapped and humanely dispatched, nests destroyed, or eggs pricked at any time. Not much eating on them, but the feathers make good fishing flies.

Ric

[Ukwildlifeo]

Anyone else think this is a token gesture of 'look we removed this species' Doesn't seem much point removing the monk parakeet when there are (If I remember correctly) over 10,000 ring necked parakeets about.

Yes it might stop monk parakeets from becoming a problem but the ring necks will still be here causing the same problems (If they do cause any)

[Littlesparrow]

Reading the article the problem seems to be their very large nests and the preference for nesting on or near power cables.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by Littlesparrow

Reading the article the problem seems to be their very large nests and the preference for nesting on or near power cables.

Which, along with their small population mainly in East London, would make them easier to control than R-nPs.

Cheers,

Adam

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by STYRBJORN

Both ring-necked and monk parakeets are on general licence. They can be shot, live-trapped and humanely dispatched, nests destroyed, or eggs pricked at any time. Not much eating on them, but the feathers make good fishing flies.

Ric

Interesting - thanks

Originally Posted by Adam Cheeseman

Something of a massive underestimation of our RNP population too!

Cheers,

Adam

Just quick googled as I remember reading that there were ow thought to be about 430,000 ring-necked in UK. Can't confirm that, but it is supiciously similar to the figure of 4,300 quoted above - and that comes from the RSPB. I have alerted an RSPB friend to this error!

Did find a Telegraph article referring to a BTO survey in '08, that said there 20,000. And their web site says 5,800 to-day.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

Anyone else think this is a token gesture of 'look we removed this species' Doesn't seem much point removing the monk parakeet when there are (If I remember correctly) over 10,000 ring necked parakeets about.

Yes it might stop monk parakeets from becoming a problem but the ring necks will still be here causing the same problems (If they do cause any)

As both species are on General License they can be controlled where they are locally a problem. I guess the main economic reason for the Monk Parakeets is where the nests can cause problems. On farmland should they be a problem they can be legally culled.

I also think it's something of a token gesture.