'Some like it alien': predation on invasive ring–necked parakeets by the long–eared owl in an urban area

Abstract

Predation pressure by native species may limit the spread of alien invasive species, thus playing a pivotal role in the impact and implementation of management strategies. The ring–necked parakeet Psittacula krameri is one of the most widespread alien bird species in Europe, with nearly 70 established populations. Predators of this species include diurnal raptors, synanthropic corvids, and rodents. Here we report for the first time that long–eared owls Asio otus might have preyed upon parakeets in their night roosts. Analysis of 167 owl pellets showed that ring–necked parakeets made up over 10 % of the total volume of the diet of these owls in winter (32.93 % of absolute frequency), representing the most important prey species after murid rodents and passerine birds. Further studies are needed to investigate whether parakeet consumption by long–eared owls is only a local occurrence or whether it is widespread in European cities. If so, predation by long–eared owl may eventually lead to a form of parakeet control and may limit the impact of this introduced parakeet on native biodiversity.

High Prevalence of Novel Beak and Feather Disease Virus in Sympatric Invasive Parakeets Introduced to Spain From Asia and South America

“…However, no test of the occurrence of the virus in the parakeets was conducted. Thus, the high prevalence of BFDV in the invasive parakeet populations sampled in southern Spain should be carefully considered, as it may have important consequences for the conservation of native birds, particularly those sharing habitats or nests with these invasive species and those predating on them both in urban and rural habitats [30,51,52]. These concerns increase due to the fast spread rates of these two parakeet species in Spain [19,53].…”

Population estimates of non-native rose-ringed parakeets Psittacula krameri (Scopoli, 1769) in the Durban Metropole, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

“…The birds which communally shared the roost with parakeets were only identified to species level and not counted as the focus was on the number of rose-ringed parakeets. As raptors are known to prey on parakeets (Mori et al 2020a), we also opportunistically identified any raptor species present in the vicinity of rose-ringed parakeets, particularly those that were chasing them.…”

Exploitation of Indian Rose-Ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri manilensis Scopoli, 1769) from Panvel, Navi Mumbai, India

“…Nyhus (2016) documented that human-wildlife conflict for food and resources has led to the extinction and reduction of numerous species and uncountable human deaths and economic losses. According to Ali and Khan (2020) and Mori et al (2020), trapping of wildlife for marketing is as old as the world civilization and the countless usage of birds including as a pet made them vulnerable to illegal trade which in turn poses threats to birds' population.…”