Kingston parakeets
Encyclopedia
The Kingston Parakeets, also known as the Twickenham Parakeets, are feral Rose-ringed Parakeet
s (Psittacula krameri) that live in the suburbs around Kingston
and Twickenham
, South London
, England
, numbering at least 6,000, with some estimates as high as 50,000 individuals. The origins of the flocks are subject to speculation.
, West London, during the filming of The African Queen (which was actually made in the Isleworth Studios
) in 1951. Other theories are that they escaped from an aviary during a 1987 hurricane; or that a pair released by Jimi Hendrix
in Carnaby Street, London, in the 1960s, are to blame.
, they are most common in the South East of England, and the largest population (6,000 in a single flock) is believed to exist in the South London suburbs where, until 2007, the birds nested principally in Esher Rugby Ground (known locally as "Grists"), Twickenham
. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) estimated that there would be a population of 50,000 wild parakeets in Britain by 2010.
, on the south-side of the river—or "Twickenham Parakeets"--belonging to Twickenham, on the north. While the birds are more often referred to as the Kingston Parakeets, their more regular nesting-ground appears to be in Twickenham. They have also been referred to in print as the "Norbiton Parakeets" and the "Jewels of Chessington".
Rose-ringed Parakeet
The Rose-ringed Parakeet , also known as the Ringnecked Parakeet, is a gregarious tropical parakeet species that has an extremely large range. Since the trend of the population appears to be increasing, the species has been evaluated as Least Concern by IUCN in 2009.Rose-ringed parakeets are...
s (Psittacula krameri) that live in the suburbs around Kingston
Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
and Twickenham
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
, South London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, numbering at least 6,000, with some estimates as high as 50,000 individuals. The origins of the flocks are subject to speculation.
Origin of the flocks
The specific origin of the birds is not known, but they most likely came from a single pair of breeding parakeets which escaped or were released in the mid-1990s. Other origins have been attributed to them: the most popular idea being that they escaped from Ealing StudiosEaling Studios
Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever since...
, West London, during the filming of The African Queen (which was actually made in the Isleworth Studios
Isleworth Studios
Isleworth Studios is the name of at least two former film studios in Great Britain.-Former Odeon Isleworth:One began in March 1935 as Odeon Isleworth, one of the Odeon Cinemas. The Bauhaus-influenced building has a Germanic style and was designed by George Coles. It closed in 1957, a victim of the...
) in 1951. Other theories are that they escaped from an aviary during a 1987 hurricane; or that a pair released by Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
in Carnaby Street, London, in the 1960s, are to blame.
Parakeets in Britain
Escaped parakeets have been spotted in Britain since the 19th Century, the first recorded sighting being in 1855. The numbers remained very low, however, until the mid-1990s, when the population appeared to start increasing rapidly. While parakeets have been spotted as far north as ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, they are most common in the South East of England, and the largest population (6,000 in a single flock) is believed to exist in the South London suburbs where, until 2007, the birds nested principally in Esher Rugby Ground (known locally as "Grists"), Twickenham
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) estimated that there would be a population of 50,000 wild parakeets in Britain by 2010.
"Ownership" controversy
Locally, there is dispute over whether the birds are "Kingston Parakeets"--belonging to Kingston upon ThamesKingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
, on the south-side of the river—or "Twickenham Parakeets"--belonging to Twickenham, on the north. While the birds are more often referred to as the Kingston Parakeets, their more regular nesting-ground appears to be in Twickenham. They have also been referred to in print as the "Norbiton Parakeets" and the "Jewels of Chessington".
External links
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/3869815.stm
- http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/treehouse/19548-ring-nect-parakeet-psitticula-kraneri.html
- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article1550997.ece
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/blackcountry/content/articles/2009/06/01/parakeet_feature.shtml
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-443880/Polly-pays-price--invasion-parakeets.html