Parakeet in Leeds, UK. (1 Viewer)

[Richard Chambers]

I was walking through the Moortown Golf Club in Leeds LS17 (UK) when I saw two Magpies harassing what I first took to be a small bird of prey -- about two-thirds the size of the Magpies. When the supposed "bird of prey" landed in a tree 30-40m from me, I saw that it was generally green, but with a pinkish-red throat-patch or bib. It was evidently not a bird of prey, but some sort of parakeet. It had a long tail, like the Magpies that were harassing it.

As Bill Oddie has described in the BBC TV programme "Springwatch", Britain does now have one native or feral parakeet species, the Ring-Necked Parakeet. However, what I saw was not a Ring-Neck, because this species does not have the pinkish-red throat-patch (although it does have a red beak).

Can anybody please identify my Parakeet from the description I have given?

 

[rokermartin]

Think they will have been Alexandra Parakeets which look very similar to RN Parakeets

 

[bitterntwisted]

Richard,

There have been reports of Ring-necked Parakeets both in Armley and out at Eccup, not too far from Moortown. Whether these are local escapes or wanderers from the large established feral colonies in the south east I don't know. But the throat, as you say, doesn't fit your description.

Do Alexandrine Parakeets have the throat patch described, Rokermartin?

http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Rose-ringed_Parakeet
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/ringneckedparakeet/
http://blx1.bto.org/bt-dailyresults/results/s274-20-08.html

Graham

 

[bitterntwisted]

My mix-up, Alexandra's Parrot, not Alexandrine, do have the throat patch... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Parrot

 

[rokermartin]

Just checked up Alexandra Parakeets they do have a pink throat patch

 

[bitterntwisted]

Just checked up Alexandra Parakeets they do have a pink throat patch

Yes, my mistake - these birds kept as pets end up with loads of different names.

 

[Lynncunliffe]

ring necked parakeet sighting

Hello
I saw a green bird I think was a ring necked parakeet today ,it was in the tree having an altercation with a magpie ,it flew into Batcliff Wood.

 

[aeshna5]

Hello
I saw a green bird I think was a ring necked parakeet today ,it was in the tree having an altercation with a magpie ,it flew into Batcliff Wood.

That is for sure a Ring-necked Parakeet.

 

[Lynncunliffe]

Hi
Thanks I was not completely sure because it just seemed so unlikely ,I know theres a lot in some parts of London but I didnt think there were any in the North

 

[stevethehydra]

There are a few Ring-necked Parakeets around in Manchester - nothing like the numbers in London, I've only ever seen 2 or 3 at a time, but they do seem to be established. Never seen one in Leeds but it wouldn't surprise me to see the odd individual anywhere in the country tbh.

 

[Lynncunliffe]

I didnt realise they had established themselves in the north as well ,if theres only the odd few and not hundreds ,I wont worry too much about attracting it to the garden ,we have a lot of assorted feeders but today I have thrown some fresh chopped fruit out ,grapes apples,plums,strawberrys and theres already some pears and whole apples out for the blackbirds,I am wondering if it was the apples or the monkey nuts that attracted it to the garden yesterday ...though theres a peregrine about so maybe it wont last long here ,would be a shame theres plenty of pigeons I wouldnt mind seeing the peregrine snap up,I like pigeons but theres a lot and they keep hitting the windows

 

[_pauls]

There are ring necked parakeets established even further north in Hartlepool.

 

[Wizzle]

Breeding coloney of ring-necked parakeets in South Liverpool for many years now.

 

[Lynncunliffe]

I had no idea,I didnt think they would like it this far north

 

[Lynncunliffe]

Maybe they have spread from Hartlepool or Liverpool

 

[Lynncunliffe]

The parakeet has been back ,it now seems to have joined a small group of magpies ,our neighbour saw it following one around and we have both seen it flying around with three