Green Parrots

Is it is true they’re descendants of a parrot owned by Jimi Hendrix?

If you mean the parakeets, they’ve actually been around since Victorian times:

No they’re not Chris. They’re parrots and they’ve been around since Hendrix.

I predict they will be a major problem in 10 to 15 years, There are an estimated 65,000 in the London/SE area at the moment. they are increasing at a rate of about 30% per year which means there will be over 1,000,000 in 12 years time.
Remember the rabbits in Australia.

Does a straight extrapolation of the figures upwards hold true?Are there any natural ceilings on the size of the population, such as available habitat?

Are they really breeding that successfully? Wonder what has changed to cause the sudden increase.

Yes.
Current population: 65,000
12 years - 1,514,375
15 years - 3,327,083
20 years - 12,353,226

Within 20 years, green parrots in London will be like sheep in New Zealand - outnumbering the human population, and sexy.

I wasn’t doubting the maths. Just wondering whether their population increase would automatically follow a straight line upwards, or whether the current rate of increase would taper off as the population reaches a natural upper limit.

If it’ll help, I can have my rifle ready. Love these little green missiles flying between the tops of trees, but love a bit of sport too. Got a great perch in mind already.

According to http://www.whateats.com/what-eats-a-parrot

The main predators, or natural enemies, of parrots are birds of prey, such as hawks, owls and eagles, and large snakes such as pythons and boa constrictors. Snakes grab parrots when they are resting on tree branches, while birds of prey attack them when they are flying as well as when they are at rest.

The black eagle of Asia often attacks and eats parrots and other birds when they are in their own nests!

Monkeys also eat parrot eggs and baby parrots whenever they can find them.

I’m not too keen on snakes, and worry that a black eagle would snaffle my little dog, but happy to drive a contingent of se23.lifers and a boot full of bananas to Longleat in order to “liberate” a few monkeys to release on One Tree Hill.

Edit: Or I could try to train the foxes that I am feeding on Ebsworth Street to climb trees.

Slow day in the office, @Andy?

Any-hoo - the success in breeding depends on temperatures being just right at the time of egg laying. Which is why parakeets are clustered in the South East and why, apparently, they only started breeding in the UK in 1969, in Kent. This will constrain the population from continuing to grow at the rate it currently is, as there won’t be enough suitable nesting sites in the South East for millions upon millions of parakeets, and they won’t be able to breed further north.

Until climate change means they can. But that will spread the population further across the UK, so new numbers will not be concentrated in London.

We will have to encourage the peregrine falcons in the old church spire at Dulwich Common to develop a taste for the noisy creatures

The green parrots immeasurably add to our lives bringing colour and joy to the community. I’m sorry my topic has led to people wishing them harm. What would you prefer, a world of pigeons and crows? Different shades of grey? And the existing population is not replacing indigenous birds as I have seen birds of all types getting on fine. What we need less of in SE23, is cars.

I am happy with them in moderation but there is evidence from London that they can impact on our smaller native birds (particularly blue tits and wrens) and I think it would be a pity to lose our lovely morning chorus of birdsong and only hear the squawks of a dominant parakeet flock.

I think most of the comments were around keeping them at a similar level rather than them continuing to increase in number to the detriment of other species.

I must admit that I also love them and would be happy for more. Also, I need to confess that I don’t think the foxes will respond to my training, I wasn’t serious about setting monkeys lose on One Tree Hill, and I was incredibly bored at work today.

This article from 2009 gave the estimated British population at around 4700 pairs (mostly in London/SE). so yes, i do believe the 30% increase per year holds roughly true. Obviously there will come a point where there is competition for food and space within the species and the population growth rate will start to slow down but i think there will be some detriment to our native bird populations which cannot compete with the aggressive nature of these birds. There will also be increased damage to crops (particularly fruit) in Kent, they will damage an entire tree of apples, not just eat one.

Just to be clear.

Parakeets = Parrots

Right?

Are we looking at a mitigation route here for KFC’s logistics problems.

Could be marketed as locally sourced produce.

Taking @Andy’s lead - in my defence I am incredibly bored too.

Looks like they are spreading north due to mild winters

Yes essentially - Parrots being a large family of birds, parakeets being one of subspecies…

Hi Applespider I would argue that our indigenous birds are more threatened by development and pesticides than by the Parakeets but thanks for your opinion!

I didn’t mean to imply they were the only threat and you’re right in calling out others.

But the parakeets need the same roosts and food as some more traditional birds. If, because of their noise and size as the studies show, they are more successful in getting those supplies, our variety of other birds will suffer.

I do like the parakeets. I think their colour and antics add to local walks and parks. But I’d rather not see their numbers continue to increase at double digit rates. I’m not planning on becoming a mad stalker that leaves a trail of green feathers behind to meet that wish though

The biggest threat to native birds locally is probably from cats. The parakeets are a pest too but much less troublesome.

Totally agree! Was going to make a comment earlier, but thought it was off topic
We have a cat that comes over from Stondon Park that actually climbs trees to try & catch a poor bird! My neighbour is in touch with her owners, & come to collect her every now & then. But subsequently we have both stopped putting food out as we are just putting the poor birds at risk

Looks like our green feathered friends live to squawk another day in northern parts at least…

KFC anyone ?

I thin the rspb did a study which suggested that while cats do take birds of course, it had no impact in terms of affecting wild bird population.

In terms of parakeets, when I used to have a bird feeder up they would scare all other birds off and eat a lot. Re nesting sites, they took over a woodpeckers nesting site (much to my dismay though to be clear the following year not during the breeding season) - I hope the woodpeckers found another site but the parakeets are now in it for the 3rd year running.

If this brings back more birds of prey to London I’ll be happy, but as with grey squirrely I’m not a massive fan.

You can’t win really can you! I wonder how the parakeets cope with crows, I find them quite scary looking at times! When I worked in a school we had to take the children in one day as there was a crow up on the roof, eyeing them up & occasionally swooping down

Seriously? You denied children some fresh air because you were concerned a crow was about to attack them?

This is planet Earth.

A mate once told me a story of his upbringing in France and how they had to walk to school via a wood that was populated by crows and magpies. They kept getting attacked - the birds would swoop down and take lumps out of the back of their heads - bleeding and crying ensued. They had little choice but to do the walk so they started wearing helmets but the birds still attacked them, frightening the children. In the end they painted big eyes on the back of the helmets and the birds stopped attacking them.
I personally have been the target of crows and magpies after one of my cats killed one. They were actually incredible aggressive to the point where I had to go indoors.
If i had children around me at the time I would have taken them in too.

If I was in charge of children and a crow was swooping down at them, I’d definitely move them out the vicinity. It doesn’t happen often, but crows can be quite aggressive. I’ve seen them have a good go at dogs in the park before.

(Cross-posted with @Foresthillnick)

And I thought I had enough to worry about…

Run to the hills, the killer crows are out to get you!

“Exit, pursued by a crow.”

To be fair it wasn’t my decision, but on saying that if a child had got attacked, so would we verbally by the head & I think rightly so

Better get a taxi then.

They can be quite mean.

Thank heavens for our little green friends.