Ring-necked Parakeet

Another surprising find while exploring the grounds of the Hampton Court Palace, was the Ring-necked Parakeet (Below). Upon seeing a pair of them perched in a tree in the garden, I assumed that they were domesticated birds that were released on the grounds for tourists. However I learned that they were indeed wild. These bright green birds with a black ring around its neck and a bright red bill were easy to spot in the trees. The European populations of the Ring-necked Parakeet became established during the mid to late 20th Century from introduced and escaped birds. In Britain: the largest population is based around south London, and by 2005 consisted of many thousands of birds. The winter of 2006 saw three separate roosts of circa 6000 birds around London^. It has been suggested that these feral parakeerts could endanger populations of native British birds, and that the Rose-ringed Parakeet could even be culled as a result.


A feral Ring-necked Parakeet on the grounds of Hampton Court, London, UK; 4/5/10.