Taxonomy
Psittacula krameri | Rose-ringed Parakeet
Distribution
Status
Conservation status
Least Concern
First reported in the wild
1998 (BirdWatch Ireland, Wings 2023)
Invasiveness
Invasive species - risk of High Impact
Irish status
Occasionally present, casual, vagrant, migratory
Introduction pathways - 1
Escape from Confinement
Introduction pathways subclass - 1
Pet/aquarium species
Introduction pathways - 2
Unaided
Introduction pathways subclass - 2
Natural dispersal across borders of invasive aliens
Invasive score
19
NAPRA Ireland risk assessed
No
Species Biology
Identification
Medium sized green parrot, red beak, long tail, males have a rose tinged ring around their neck.
Ecology
Parakeets may have widespread, though difficult to detect impacts, on a range of bird species, particularly cavity nesting birds, through a suite of behavioural changes to native bird communities. Bird feeders have been shown to play an important role in the diet of parakeets (Clergeau & Vergnes, 2011), which could negetively impact a range of birds, as presence of parakeets at bird feeders has been shown to significantly reduced feeding rates and increased vigilance rates among native birds (Peck et al., 2014).
Studies have shown that parakeets outcompete Eurasian nuthatches (Sitta europaea) for nesting spaces (Strubbe & Matthysen, 2007; Strubbe & Matthysen, 2009) but not Eurasian starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) (Dodaro & Battisti, 2014; Strubbe & Mattyhsen, 2007), possibly due to starlings altering their nesting preferences (Dodaro & Battisti, 2014). However a UK study found no effect of competition on 8 native cavity nesting birds including nuthatches and starlings (Newson et al., 2011), though of the species studied 4 would not be expected to compete with parakeets due to differing nesting cavity requirements (Strubbe & Matthysen, 2007).
Habitat
Woodland, forest and other wooded land; Constructed, industrial or other artificial habitats
Reproduction
Cavity nesting bird, eggs are laid in Spring, from February to May, but generally in March - 'A few parakeets laid eggs as late as mid-May but the mean date of first egg was 26 March?±?1.3 days. No second clutches were observed' (Butler et al., 2013).
Clutch sizes range from 1-7 eggs, with a median of 4, with an average of 1.4 chicks fledged per nest (Butler et al., 2013). Egg infertility is temperature dependent (Shwartz et al., 2009), so breeding success is likely to increase in the future due to climate change.
Pathway and vector description
Ring necked parakeets are traditionally kept as pets and the most likely source of introduction into Ireland is through birds escaping from confinement or being released into the wild. There are no estimates for the number of birds kept in captivity. In the medium to long term there is the possibility of parakeets colonising Ireland from Britain, where they have been established since the 1960s and estimates of a breeding population of 8,600 birds (Musgrove et al., 2013), though estimates range from 6,000 - 30,000 (Butler et al., 2013).
Mechanism of impact
Competition, Grazing/Herbivory/Browsing
Broad environment
Terrestrial
Habitat description
While not an obligate commensal (species that only lives in association with humans, e.g. house mouse), parakeet abundance is positively correlated with human population density (Strubbe & Matthysen, 2009). Parakeets bred predominantly in ash (Fraxinus) and oak (Quercus) (Butler et al., 2013), and tend to favour urban parks and woodlands (Strubbe & Matthysen, 2007), for example in Belgium they are ubiquitous in the parks of Brussels.
Species group
Vertebrate
Native region
Tropical Asia, Africa
Distribution
World distribution(GBIF)
Irish distribution
Present in the Wild - Rare/Localised. There have been confirmed sightings of Rose-ringed parakeet in Cork, Dublin, Wicklow and Belfast. There is no confirmation of a breeding population in Ireland although unconfirmed reports of juveniles have been reported.
Native distribution
Native from the Côte d'Ivoire in west Africa to Myanmar, they have been introduced into a wide range of countries including Belgium, Cuba, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Saudi Arabia & Venezuela (Birdlife International, 2009).
Temporal change
Date of first record category
2011-2020
Fifty year date category
2001-2050
Records submitted to Data Centre in 2024
The following map is interactive. If you would prefer to view it full screen then click here.
How can you help
Report any sightings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre.
Further information
Delivering Alien Invasive Species In Europe (DAISIE) project list the rose-ringed parakeet as one of the 100 Worst Invaders in Europe.
References
Publications
Butler, C. J., Cresswell, W., Gosler, A., & Perrins, C. (2013). The breeding biology of rose-ringed parakeets Psittacula krameri in England during a period of rapid population expansion.Bird Study, 60(4), 527-532.
Clergeau, P., & Vergnes, A. (2011). Bird feeders may sustain feral Rose-ringed parakeets Psittacula krameri in temperate Europe. Wildlife Biology, 17(3), 248-252.
Dodaro, G., & Battisti, C. (2014). Rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri) and starling (Sturnus vulgaris) syntopics in a Mediterranean urban park: evidence for competition in nest-site selection?. Belgian Journal of Zoology, 144(1), 5-14.
Musgrove, A., Aebischer, N., Eaton, M., Hearn, R., Newson, S., Noble, D., Parsons, M., Risely, K. & Stroud, D. (2013). Population estimates of birds in Great Britain and the United Kingdom. British Birds, 106, 64-100.
Newson, S. E., Johnston, A., Parrott, D., & Leech, D. I. (2011). Evaluating the population-level impact of an invasive species, Ring-necked Parakeet Psittacula krameri, on native avifauna. Ibis, 153(3), 509-516.
Peck, H. L., Pringle, H. E., Marshall, H. H., Owens, I. P., & Lord, A. M. (2014). Experimental evidence of impacts of an invasive parakeet on foraging behavior of native birds. Behavioral Ecology, 25(3), 582-590.
Shwartz, A., Strubbe, D., Butler, C. J., Matthysen, E., & Kark, S. (2009). The effect of enemy-release and climate conditions on invasive birds: a regional test using the rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri) as a case study. Diversity and Distributions, 15(2), 310-318. BirdLife International 2009. Psittacula krameri. In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.