The ring-necked parakeet - a wild parrot, with vibrant emerald feathers and crimson beak - will shortly become fair game for residents possessing a rifle or shotgun, cage trap or net under new rules from wildlife watchdog Natural England.
From January 1 the bird once dubbed 'the grey squirrel of the skies' can be killed or have its nest disturbed and eggs destroyed to help protect crops and such native species as the woodpecker.
DID YOU KNOW?
No one knows where the UK's wild parrots come from. One theory is that a pair escaped from a container in Heathrow airport.
- Since they started breeding in the wild in 1969, the ring necked parakeet has become London's 15th most common bird.
- They nest so early in the year - often in January - that they use up the good holes and nest boxes, driving away native species such as woodpeckers.
- In Esher, Surrey, one roost has an estimated 7,000 noisy birds.
- Also known as rose necked parakeets, they were kept as pets by the Ancient Greeks and Romans.
- The birds originate from the foothills of the Himalayas - so can cope with the chilly British weather.
