Sheffield's loud and brash Graves Park parakeets are attracting attention

In and around Graves Park these stunningly exotic birds are becoming a major attraction. They have strong pair-bonding behaviour and are loud and brash in every sense.

Bright green plumage with a bright red beak and a distinctive long tail makes them easy to spot. Furthermore, their loud calls, which may not endear them to everyone, are very distinctive.

Once you recognise the parakeet call, then you hear them well before you see them.

Who would have thought a few years back that we would be seeing flocks of parrots throughout the region’s suburbs; this really is quite remarkable.

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The Graves Park birds can be seen quite widely but they do favour the old beech trees with holes in their trunks to both breed in spring and to roost at night-time.

There seems to be very little hard evidence that these birds have much impact on native birds; though perhaps as numbers increase that situation might change.

The parakeets are dramatic but only one example of many non-natives now well established in Britain.

*Prof Ian D Rotherham is a researcher, writer and broadcaster on wildlife and environmental issues. Email [email protected].

Follow Ian’s Walk on the Wildside blog at www.ukeconet.org

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