Wild parakeeets living in Britain to be shot before they become a nuisance

Wild parakeeets living in Britain are to be culled before they can breed and become a nuisance, the government has confirmed. Monk parakeets are the latest invasive species to colonise the country after being released from captivity in the 1990s. There are around 150 of the raucous green, yellow and grey birds, originally from the Americas, living around the Home Counties.

But the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has called on the Government to rehome the birds rather than shoot them. "They have the potential to expand rapidly and could pose a threat to agriculture and public safety because of the nests causing structural problems to the electricity supply," he said. "But we do not believe that they should be shot."



Like their cousins, the ring-necked parakeets, that are already being controlled, they are a nuisance to agriculture because they eat fruit and crops. But they can also build nests the size of a car, posing a threat to public safety. In the US nests on electricity plyons have caused serious problems. The birds can also push out native species that rely on the same foods. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the birds are being bought under control before they become a nuisance.

"Control work is being carried out as part of a Defra initiative to counter the potential threat monk parakeets pose to critical national infrastructure, crops and native British wildlife,” said a spokesman. "This invasive species has caused significant damage in other countries through nesting and feeding activity and we are taking action now to prevent this happening in the UK. The control measures will include trapping and re-homing, removing nests and shooting if necessary.”