Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Where are all the parakeets?

104 replies

nearlyspringyay · 22/02/2022 12:47

Are you in London? Do you have any parakeets around? We had colonies and colonies of them, gradually over lockdowns they've disappeared. Just realised I haven't seen a single one for months.

We're over run with magpies and crows.

What's happened? Have they migrated but I've never noticed that before or did a cull actually happen?

OP posts:
DuplicateUserName · 04/02/2023 22:45

I visited a friend in Barking last week and there were loads in her local park.

londonmummy1966 · 04/02/2023 22:45

Usually have plenty in my garden at this time of year eating ornamental cherries and rosehips but none to be seen. As a PP said plenty in Brockwell Park though - they like swinging on some of the whippier branches and take it in turns to play - quite sweet.

lljkk · 04/02/2023 22:47

So many in urban areas ! I saw 'keets in Barcelona last May, at the Gaudi park, does that count? I love seeing buzzards almost routinely nowadays, never saw a single one at all until about 7 years ago. And the very very occasional kite. But parakeets? none in my local countryside.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Other pets & animals
Shampern · 04/02/2023 22:48

Chingford E4 plenty here.

layzinaboot · 04/02/2023 22:48

There were about 10 having a game of "catch me if you can" with my neighbour's cat the other day - it climbed precariously high up a tree and there was lots of squawking. I thought they might dive bomb it, but they were too rattled to think strategically!

WildRosie · 04/02/2023 22:49

Nowt in LS19. Perhaps we need to wait until climate change comes further north.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 04/02/2023 22:53

They're not as active in winter, as they aren't as well camouflaged without the leaves to render them invisible, so spend most their time in assorted evergreens in groups of about 30 or so. Give it about a fortnight and when the trees start blossoming, you'll see and hear more of them again.

Doveyouknow · 04/02/2023 22:56

East London - zone 2, there are loads in our local park

ConnieSaks · 04/02/2023 22:57

Loads around and about in my part of SE London - no noticeable decline!

SoupDragon · 04/02/2023 22:58

I saw a pair nesting in a hole in a tree in woods near me just last week. South London.

GoldenGumballs · 04/02/2023 23:02

What?! You have parakeets down South -
why didn’t I know this?

DuplicateUserName · 04/02/2023 23:05

GoldenGumballs · 04/02/2023 23:02

What?! You have parakeets down South -
why didn’t I know this?

Yes, for about 20 years I think, although they've positively thrived and spread all over London/Essex in about the last 5 years or so.

Bonjovispjs · 04/02/2023 23:05

Loads near where I am in North West London, they come and eat from the bird feeder 😊

JorisBonson · 04/02/2023 23:05

@nearlyspringyay I'm also SE but zone 5. Judging by the noise, they're all in my garden.

(I love watching them so not complaining!)

SoupDragon · 04/02/2023 23:06

yes we do 🙂

Where are all the parakeets?
Stardu · 04/02/2023 23:06

They’re in Kent, saw a huge flock of the circling here yesterday.

Perhaps they got bored of London 🤷‍♀️

MusicWithRocksIn · 04/02/2023 23:06

ItWasARayGun · 22/02/2022 18:39

@SBAM

London/Essex border (zone 6) and I see or hear them fairly frequently
This is where I am and they like to hang out in my garden.

@ItWasARayGun are you me? I tried to register that username a while ago but it was taken. I'm in the same area and also get loads of parakeets.

TheDogsMother · 04/02/2023 23:11

I haven't seen any in rural West Sussex but we have a lot of Red Kites and Buzzards so it might not be Keet friendly. Lovely to see them in Surrey recently though.

TheRealKatnissEverdeen · 04/02/2023 23:14

@Shampern same! Chingford. There were two in one of my trees this mornings. They are always about.

reluctantbrit · 04/02/2023 23:16

BR postcode and while there are a lot, there are less than Summer/Autumn. Not sure what's going on.

imnottoofussed · 04/02/2023 23:24

We have them in the NW of England too but doesn't sound like as high a population

Saschka · 04/02/2023 23:26

JW13 · 22/02/2022 12:56

Lots where we are SE24/SE21 - see them frequently in our garden and the parks (Dulwich/Brockwell Park).

Plenty in SE5 and SW9 too.

Imisscoffee2021 · 04/02/2023 23:34

Thousands here in south west zone 6, they're my 5am wake up call in the hot summers, window open and a cherry tree full of the green menaces screaming at each other 🤣

BookShark · 04/02/2023 23:38

They're in my garden - near Kingston/Bushy Park. Regularly get 10+ in the tree, and they go through two feeders of bird food per day. Not the best photo, but gives you an idea, you just need to zoom in.

They're quite pretty, but do dominate the garden. I'm sure we used to get more variety - maybe it's a winter thing.

I quite like watching then they binoculars, but suspect my rear neighbours may think they're being spied on...

Where are all the parakeets?
Divebar2021 · 04/02/2023 23:40

I’m not far from Kingston and I’ve had 2 regularly visiting my peanut feeders. We do have quite a big colony in the area though.

Swipe left for the next trending thread