BIRDWATCH IRELAND HAS issued a call to the public to be on the lookout for a certain species of parrot that are considered invasive to native birds in Ireland.

Ring-necked Parakeets have been spotted in Griffith Park in Dublin and a survey is currently being undertaken to determine how many there are. 

The species are distinguishable by their all-green plumage, long tail and red beak. Also known as the Rose-ringed Parakeet, they get their name from the rose-coloured ring around the neck of adult male birds.

They are native to parts of Africa and Asia, but have spread to around 45 other countries and are now well established in parts of southern England and Spain.

“If you go to southern England, for example, it’s a common bird, and in places like Amsterdam and Brussels as well, they’re common in city parks and streets,” Niall Hatch of BirdWatch Ireland told The Journal.

He said that it is well-known that the populations of the bird in these countries tend to go out of control “to the extent where they can’t be contained”.

“They compete with several native species of birds for food resources and importantly for nesting sites because they nest inside holes, so some cavity nesting birds are affected by this, of our native species,” he said.

“There’s also significant agricultural costs as well because they will tend to travel in flocks and raid crop fields and raid orchards for food. That’s something that’s quite well-known with them in Southern England, Spain and places like that where they have become very well established, so that’s obviously dangerous.”

Two Ring-necked Parakeets in a London park. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Hatch said it’s likely the parakeets were kept as pets here and escaped. He said they tend to live in urban areas and rely on bird tables and feeders in gardens as a food source. 

“They tend to make themselves unpopular with people too, because they’re beautiful to look at, gorgeous birds, but they’re incredibly noisy and they make a lot of noise between their flocks, and they also tend to come into gardens and onto bird tables and just eat everything, so that’s an issue people often have with them.”

BirdWatch Ireland are encouraging anyone who might spot the species to report any sightings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre. 

A spokesperson for the the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), who are monitoring the population of the birds, told The Journal that it is estimated that there are less than five birds attempting to breed in the Dublin area.

“It is very likely that these were once captive birds that escaped. If left alone it is likely that this population will increase over time and may well impact on Ireland’s native wildlife,” the spokesperson said.

In 2021, the service, working with the local authority and other groups, successfully re-captured a pair of Ring-necked Parakeets that were attempting to breed.

The birds were temporarily housed at an NPWS facility, and after a period of acclimatisation, the birds were then transferred to an aviary run by an experienced keeper for further long-term care.

“The NPWS continues to monitor the situation carefully”, the spokesperson added. 

Any sightings of Ring-necked Parakeets can be submitted to the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) through their online record submission page.