Message Board - Pests, Weeds and Diseases: Parakeets - What is the industry position
9 Nov 2009 by Nifty Last edited 9 Nov 2009
If you believe the legend Jimmy Hendrix was supposed to have released the first two at Heathrow when he wasn't allowed to bring them through customs, whatever the reality is we now seem to have a growing problem.Over the years I have noticed their numbers spreading out from SW London and into the surrounding counties , they have adapted to our climate and are breeding so succesfully they seem to be displacing the native species, will we end up with a grey squirrel situation ?
What are the regulations on controlling and what damage do they do , if any. They seem to be excessively noisy and must be a distraction for golfers and the like ? I just wondered what the protocol was on these little critters. It's been a while since this issue was last discussed and I expect there will be strong opinions on both sides. Discuss..
Its got to be purrrfect
9 Nov 2009 by Barry Pace
Chelsea sparrows Rob....... apart from evicting a few squirrels what harm do they do...
Plastic.... it's The End I tell you... THE END!!!!
9 Nov 2009 by Pitchcare Peter
The RSPB's view, a few years ago, was that they should be culled to keep numbers 'tolerable'.
However, that view appears to have changed and the RSPB has stated recently that they consider them to be an urban bird of south east England and that their numbers are not increasing.
It would be interesting to know if there have been any sightings outside London and the home counties?
This summer a flock of them decended on a vineyard in Kent and consumed enough grapes to make 3,000 bottles of wine - now, that IS serious ... hic
Cheers
Odd Billy
9 Nov 2009 by shaka
I have seen them spreading their wings down the M4 now I have today seen some near maidenhead. I wonder how far they are around now like Peter. I have done some work in Richmond park and they are as busy as pigeons and dears there.
to be fair I also have seen an increase in the numbers of kites and near maidenhead some very large kestrals as well as owls. I would think these birds of prey will control the pests!!! as nature intended and all that stuff!!
not sure they are as much of a pest compared to the pests we havent ever got under control like rabbits, foxs, moles and others???
peter PC should do a pole worst pest ??
cheers Martin
10 Nov 2009 by vid
Parakeets are not a naturalised bird YET, therefore they have no protection and can be controlled humanely without penalty. As they are here all winter they do exploit scarce food sources throughout the winter months and do therefore threaten the populations of naturalised British birds. I do wonder if we have an extreme cold period during winter whether this will kill most of them off
10 Nov 2009 by Grassman2011
Last winter was pretty cold vid, they still seem to be here.
10 Nov 2009 by GRAFTER
i have quiet a few flying around up here in north east england.And have done for about a year now.
grafter
10 Nov 2009 by Nifty
I have found out a little more today , apparently as of Jan 1st 2010 they can be controlled under a general license if they can be proved to be a nuisance:-
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/about_us/news/2009/031009.aspx
Basically this falls into three areas :
Harm to crops/foliage - due to their "flocking" nature they tend to strip anything of fruit/food leaving nothing.
Issues affecting public health and safety , basically Guano if you are in a roosting area , much like pigeons. Also birdstrike at airports.
Impact on local species , no food left means they will of course be displaced/die out.
and you could argue noise pollution as well as these , not really just another Sparrow really.
Perhaps Mal and Peter Mark Craig might care to add their experiences if they have been affected ?
Its got to be purrrfect
10 Nov 2009 by SOS
Mr x
We have these blitters over our neck of the woods just north of London. I had heard a rumour from my pest man that new legislation was going through in the new year so to give us the armery to control these pests.
If you speak to the tree experts you will find that they can cause an abundence of damage to trees and I have seen first hand how they are trying to bully our native birds within our golf course.
However if control by shooting them does come around I reckon you would need a machine gun and an eye of a tiger to cul 2% through this method due to their speed and agility, although you may get a few when they flock.
YOU WILL ALWAYS HEAR ONE BEFORE YOU SEE ONE, BUT AFTER ALL WE DO LIVE ON AN ISLAND, AND THEY MAY JUST BE COMING HOME!
11 Nov 2009 by ticky21
we have now seen parakeets across Marlow too..i remember workin with Shaka in windsor on occassions and they are in abundance there..and as he rightly says....there are a big population of red kites between the M4 and M40....possibly as we have a Kite sanctuary at Stokenchurch...i went to my yard one morning and counted 14 kites all sat along a post and rail fence on the side of my polo pitch.....
Ticky supports British farmers...!!
11 Nov 2009 by tonybolton Last edited 11 Nov 2009
As opposed to the Rose Ringed Parakeets, Red Kites Milvus Milvus although possibly re-introduced Spansh birds, are an indigenous British bird and any form of persecution or interference at nest and breeding sites is a criminal offence carrying heavy fines and possibly custodial sentences. They are now becoming quite widespread again, M4/M40 around Oxford, Henly on Thames, with populations in, Yorkshire, Scotland, Wales etc etc. DEFRA are currently investigating the need for control of the parakeets which can be harmful to some food crops. They've managed to survive and indeed flourish in recent years despite cold winters. Looks like they're here to stay like grey squirrels and mink and possibly Eagle Owls. Japanese knotweed and rhododendrums do far more damage.
A Freudian slip is when you say one thing but mean your mother
13 Nov 2009 by petermarkcraig
They have been around here for as long as I have. First noticed them when working in Teddington and there's a large flock of the noisy little buggers that live in and around my part of Fulham.
I don't know how they are affecting the environment but I do know they wake me up in the early hours throughout the summer, and for that reason alone I say kill 'em all!!!
Of course the grass looks good. The sun is shining.
13 Nov 2009 by higgins
I first came across parakets in the 1980's in woods in the Brighton area, 2or 3 flocks. One flock was wipped out by travellers with shotguns. A councillor on the parks committee proclaimed "it was nice to hear the paraquats flying to the woods."
This year whilst on visit to royal parks west London was told they have 600 pairs, without a doubt they need culling.
In a street in Richmond they pecked holes in the bargeboards of houses to nest.
Winter will not harm them, we have not had a cold winter since the 1960's.
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