Exotic Birds In Great Britain

[Spookdaddy]

I think this counts as exotic.

Related on the Strange Bird Behaviour (General; Miscellaneous) thread, by me, some years ago:

...I was walking to work early one morning, my mind still a bit half-asleep and focussed on nothing much at all, when I got this odd and quite strong sense of unease. There was nothing obvious to explain the feeling; it was a sunny morning I was enjoying the job I was involved in at the time and I was, generally speaking, relatively happy with my lot. All in all there seemed to be nothing to account for the edginess I had started to feel. Then I noticed that the birds were acting very oddly. They were in a kind frenzy - skittering around at pavement level, virtually flying into each other in apparent panic - and the woods which line the uphill side of the road were unusually noisy with alarm calls.

I had once or twice seen a sparrowhawk in the area, but the level of activity seemed over the top even for such an efficient predator - it was almost as if the birds were trying to bury themselves under the ground in order to get away from whatever it was they feared and their panic seemed so all consuming that they didn't appear to even register my presence. In fact, they were flying so close to me that I reckon I could have reached out and plucked them from the air.

Once I'd become conscious of the unusual activity around me I actually stopped walking - initially because I thought I might get a glimpse of the sparrowhawk I mentioned. And then something made crane back and look directly above me and I experienced one of those, to my mind, truly Fortean moments when you register that you're seeing something that really shouldn't be there, before you've even registered what it actually is that really shouldn't be there in the first place.

What I saw circling lazily above me and riding the thermals as if it owned the bloody place was only, I kid you not, a bloody enormous vulture. This is in NW Derbyshire, mind you.

I suspect what it was the Staffordshire escapee, Bones (story here).

Now, obviously a vulture would constitute no particular threat to bird life, but I can't help thinking that all the birds around me that morning saw and reacted to was a huge and unfamiliar raptor circling their general vicinity, and reacted accordingly by going into conniptions...

 

[Kondoru]

Thats some story.

 

[Sid]

There were a lot where I used to live. A grey one turned up one day.



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And their pretty noisy squawky critters too! Visited my Sister in Surrey and they certainly are around that area and all long the banks of the Thames too.

 

[Fluttermoth]

Is it just me, or has the London population surged in the last - maybe - ten years?

I recall, back in the 1990's that you'd see the odd parakeet in central London, but that they were still a bit unusual. I seem to remember that there were a few well, and long, established localised concentrations (I'm pretty sure Brompton Cemetery was one - and there were a couple of others I cannot now recall) but that they were nowhere near as ubiquitous outside these areas as they are now.

I was sitting in Gordon Square, near Euston Station, having a coffee a month or so ago and realised that, although the parakeets are a commonplace there these days, I'm pretty sure they weren't when I would sit and do the same not so many years ago.

They definitely have increased in numbers recently, yes; no-one's sure if it's just that the numbers crossed some kind of rubicon where they could spread exponentially, or if climate change is increasing the numbers of successful breedings.

I know they shouldn't be here, but they don't appear to be having much effect on native birds, although the jury is still out on that one, but I can't help liking them, they're so pretty and clever! And, of course, being so brightly coloured, they do get extensively predated upon (which could turn out to be net positive for the natives, if the cats etc are taking the parakeets?).

Monk parakeets (like mine ) are more of an issue, as they're the only parrot that builds nests; and they're not simple nests either, they're huge three room things that they build in colonies, and they often choose sub-stations and powerlines, because of the warmth. There are a few around London and the home counties, although they were culled a few years ago, they weren't eradicated :/

 

[Sid]

They definitely have increased in numbers recently, yes; no-one's sure if it's just that the numbers crossed some kind of rubicon where they could spread exponentially, or if climate change is increasing the numbers of successful breedings.

I know they shouldn't be here, but they don't appear to be having much effect on native birds, although the jury is still out on that one, but I can't help liking them, they're so pretty and clever! And, of course, being so brightly coloured, they do get extensively predated upon (which could turn out to be net positive for the natives, if the cats etc are taking the parakeets?).

Monk parakeets (like mine ) are more of an issue, as they're the only parrot that builds nests; and they're not simple nests either, they're huge three room things that they build in colonies, and they often choose sub-stations and powerlines, because of the warmth. There are a few around London and the home counties, although they were culled a few years ago, they weren't eradicated :/

I believe the initial claim was that they were a pest as regards to stripping out fruit tree buds in Kent, but I don't know if that ever came to be a proven fact or not.

 

[Fluttermoth]

I believe the initial claim was that they were a pest as regards to stripping out fruit tree buds in Kent, but I don't know if that ever came to be a proven fact or not.

Ooooh, I can see that being a problem; even though mine's a different species, he does love eating leaf buds and stripping the bark from twigs, it wouldn't surprise me if it was a common parrot behaviour.

I can imagine a flock would devastate an orchard

 

[maximus otter]

I believe the initial claim was that they were a pest as regards to stripping out fruit tree buds in Kent, but I don't know if that ever came to be a proven fact or not.

Their impact on the UK’s wildlife has been likened to that of the invasive grey squirrel on native reds:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_parakeets_in_Great_Britain#Ecological_impact

They compete with native birds for nest sites and food. They have also been seen to kill bats. Not good.

The government has seen fit to put feral parakeets on all three General Licences, i.e. they can be killed to conserve UK flora & fauna; to protect public health; also to prevent damage and the spread of disease. There will be reasons for that.

Just wait, however, for the wails from the huggers of bunnies…

maximus otter

 

[Spookdaddy]

...I know they shouldn't be here, but they don't appear to be having much effect on native birds, although the jury is still out on that one, but I can't help liking them, they're so pretty and clever!...

I suspect feral pigeons have had a far greater influence over native bird numbers. As incredibly successful breeders and aggressive feeders they strip the food sources available for other smaller and less pushy species (in my book pigeon feeding is about on a level with fly-tipping chemical waste). Parakeets, on the other hand - at least in my experience - don't seem to mob up for food in the same way, and although I think they tend to congregate while roosting, their daytime presence seems to be less concentrated.

Although there are inevitable issues with non-native species, I too can't help but like parakeets.

 

[Spookdaddy]

...The government has seen fit to put feral parakeets on all three General Licences, i.e. they can be killed to conserve UK flora & fauna; to protect public health; also to prevent damage and the spread of disease. There will be reasons for that...

More birds of prey would maybe help. Actual predation has a limited effect - the real impact is that the mere presence of raptors reduces (I think quite significantly) breeding rates. I know (or knew - not seen him for years) a professional falconer who was hired by various councils - and Manchester airport - to fly his birds around on a regular basis. He told me that it was quite rare for his birds to catch anything, but that this wasn't the point; the regular presence of raptors stressed the target birds - pigeons, generally - to such an extent that it greatly reduced fertility rates. I suspect attacking breeding rates in such a way would have a far greater on problem populations than all the alternatives put together.

I've seen sparrowhawks and peregrines in central London (oddly, I'm not sure I've ever seen a kestrel) - but I'd love to see more of them.

 

[maximus otter]

…the regular presence of raptors stressed the target birds - pigeons, generally - to such an extent that it greatly reduced fertility rates.

l’d suspect instead that falconry (as above) displaces the pest birds rather than affects their libidos. No difference to your pal’s pay cheque, but l suspect that farmers whose land adjoined the airfields might have been a whimsy dischuffed.

maximus otter

 

[Spookdaddy]

l’d suspect instead that falconry (as above) displaces the pest birds rather than affects their libidos. No difference to your pal’s pay cheque, but l suspect that farmers whose land adjoined the airfields might have been a whimsy dischuffed.

maximus otter

I don't doubt that this is partially true. But in being displaced from certain areas the populations in question are also - in many cases - being removed from easy access food sources (like town centres and urban parks) - which I suspect aids the stress/fertility thing.

 

[Min Bannister]

Shooting them seems a lot less cruel than stressing them out of existence.

 

[Spookdaddy]

Shooting them seems a lot less cruel than stressing them out of existence.

I don't think it quite works that way; I think its a subtle biological/behavioural stress, rather than some sort of panic induced conniption. It means that, where for instance they might have had two chicks where conditions were different, they might now only have one. And it is - after all - a completely natural process.

Edit: I think an important thing to remember is that when talking of reducing breeding populations, we're not really talking about reducing breeding populations to sub-normal, but in order to counter the factors that have increased breeding success to way above what should be normal.

 

[Fluttermoth]

I'm about as bunny huggerish as you can be, but I'm also a realist; if invasive species are causing damage of one kind or another (and, let's face it, they usually are ) then they probably have to go

It's the method of 'the going' that's problematic. I mean, IRNs and monk parakeets are really small, about the size of a blackbird, that's not going to be easy to shoot in significant numbers, is it? At least with land or aquatic animals you have some chance of netting/trapping/fencing making a difference.

As always, I'd prefer it if we could work out a way to reduce numbers without too much suffering for the individual animal; this isn't their fault, they're just doing what they evolved to do, this is OUR (human's) fault for being such disgusting, dirty and selfish creatures! (Not you people, obviously! The other ones, the ones who drop food everywhere and let their unwanted pets loose to be 'free' )

 

[maximus otter]

...IRNs and monk parakeets are really small, about the size of a blackbird, that's not going to be easy to shoot in significant numbers, is it?

Not a problem, with suitable resources/motivation.

Look, however, at the public reaction when anyone mentions culling grey squirrels: "Oh, they're soooo cute!" and so on.

maximus otter

 

[Bullseye]

Re, hole nesting birds, breeding success is often down to how many available nest holes there are, often more birds than available nest holes. If Parakeets take over nest holes native birds will suffer.
Native raptors will scare off prey speices, if Goshawks move into an area grey tree rats will dissapear. I put up a hawk kite in the Spring, keeps the little grey bastards off my fruit trees and bushes. Must be some sort of race memory from North America.Interestingly, I've had Sparrowhawks nesting 50mts from my garden, did'nt keep the squirrels away, so maybe they are not quitr big enough, but Woodpigeon were few and far between.

 

[Fluttermoth]

Not a problem, with suitable resources/motivation

maximus otter

You're the FT shooting expert AFAIK; I'm actually curious, what would be the best approach for something this size? Some kind of scattershot into the flock? Pick them off one by one?

I can't see the carcasses being much use, so that wouldn't be a concern.

 

[maximus otter]

You're the FT shooting expert AFAIK

Me, expert? Bless you, but

what would be the best approach for something this size? Some kind of scattershot into the flock? Pick them off one by one?

Anything from air rifles via .22LR (under appropriate circumstances) to shotguns would do fine. Combine this with egg destruction, etc., and we could manage the population nicely.

As with most species, we wouldn’t want to eradicate them, just reduce their pressure on struggling native species.

maximus otter

 

[Floyd]

It's the method of 'the going' that's problematic. I mean, IRNs and monk parakeets are really small, about the size of a blackbird, that's not going to be easy to shoot in significant numbers, is it? At least with land or aquatic animals you have some chance of netting/trapping/fencing making a difference.

Chasse à la glu?

 

[Sid]

Chasse à la glu?

I wonder if the scientist's are able to genetically alter their breeding abilities?

 

[Min Bannister]

Some Black-Crowned Night Herons have been seen in the UK recently, in Dorset and St Kilda. There have also been sightings in Co Wexford, Ireland. It is thought because of drought conditions in Spain and France where they are normally found. They are beautiful!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-65335454

Droughts in continental Europe are a possible cause for sightings of a Mediterranean bird in Britain and Ireland, say ornithologists.
Black-crowned night herons have been spotted on Scotland's remote St Kilda archipelago, as well as County Wexford in Ireland and Dorset in England.
The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) said the numbers were potentially unprecedented but not unexpected.
It said warmer climate species have been appearing for a number of years.
A BTO spokesman said climate change had created a "push and pull situation".

 

[Peripart]

The first time.I spotted parakeets in one of the local parks (Sutton Coldfield), I did something of a double-take, despite having been told they were there. Now, I actively look and listen out for them as, apart from the odd jay, most of the local birds are somewhat drab to look at! No offence to blackbirds, rooks, magpies, jackdaws etc...

 

[Erinaceus]

I saw five glossy ibises at Dungeness RSPB reserve last April.

 

[RaM]

Seen on the beach at St Ann's but as been spotted in other places around the Fylde coast,
thought to be a escapee from Blackpool Zoo we used to see one a few years back that
likely came from the same place.
Pic from the local facebook.

 

[RaM]

The Pelican is reported just over the river from us pursued by a pack of zoo keepers from Blackpool,
wonder what they taste like, brake out the turkey baster.