Hi All,
Came across this little article and found it rather interesting.
Just goes to show, how a beautiful pet species, can rapidly become an invasive species, with the ability to cause all sorts of problems.
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Para ... 964962.php
Interesting Read
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lovezebs
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Interesting Read
~Elana~
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Babs _Owner
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Re: Interesting Read
lovezebs
Interesting you mention this.
I've been taking note of the rose-ringed parakeet (or called the indian ringneck like the one I own) populations in the US, UK etc.
I really cant imagine that many humans losing their birds to escape and causing such big populations. Call me paranoid, but I suspect someone is introducing these species to these areas.
The population booms of this species in non native habitat is happening at the same times in all non native areas on a huge level. Far too much a coincidence and too many birds to attribute to few people's pets flying out their windows.
Indian ringnecks arent exactly a popular pet, like a canary or a budgie.
Dont you find it odd?
Interesting you mention this.
I've been taking note of the rose-ringed parakeet (or called the indian ringneck like the one I own) populations in the US, UK etc.
I really cant imagine that many humans losing their birds to escape and causing such big populations. Call me paranoid, but I suspect someone is introducing these species to these areas.
The population booms of this species in non native habitat is happening at the same times in all non native areas on a huge level. Far too much a coincidence and too many birds to attribute to few people's pets flying out their windows.
Indian ringnecks arent exactly a popular pet, like a canary or a budgie.
Dont you find it odd?
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lovezebs
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Re: Interesting Read
Babs
In this particular article, they are attributing the invasion to a few escaped clipped birds from a bed and breakfast (1968 ? ). I would honestly wonder how many birds a bed and breafast would actually own (?) how many would simply walk away (?) and how many tame clipped birds would survive their first few days, weeks, months of freedom (?) to actually reproduce ....
In this particular article, they are attributing the invasion to a few escaped clipped birds from a bed and breakfast (1968 ? ). I would honestly wonder how many birds a bed and breafast would actually own (?) how many would simply walk away (?) and how many tame clipped birds would survive their first few days, weeks, months of freedom (?) to actually reproduce ....
~Elana~
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Babs _Owner
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Doesnt add up. 
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Sheather
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Re: Interesting Read
It's really not a conspiracy theory. Hawaii has few predators. It never said the birds were tame - fifty years ago they probably weren't. They probably brought in a bunch for ambience and didn't reclip them on time and they flew off. Parrots are fecund breeders and without predation could easily overrun an island in five decades.
There are ringnecks wild in Britain. This can be attributed to hobbyists losing large outdoor collections in storms back in the days of imported wild birds before there was wide scale captive breeding. The birds would have known how to survive, found themselves in a suitable climate and lots of bird feeders and they've reproduced.
In Chicago we have quaker parrots. They were introduced when a crate of imported wild birds fell off a trolley at an airport many years ago. They breed and have spread across the chicago region.
California has conures and Amazons, again harking back to the days of imports. A cage tips over and it only takes a few of these still very much wild birds to produce a large population.
And actually all the parrots are pretty common pets. There's probably not a concentrated effort to introduce parrots but I know that in Australia, there are wild cockatoo flocks which have learned human words from the occasional pet which someone cannot handle anymore and sets free. If they integrate into a wild flock, the natives show them what to eat and they do survive.
There are ringnecks wild in Britain. This can be attributed to hobbyists losing large outdoor collections in storms back in the days of imported wild birds before there was wide scale captive breeding. The birds would have known how to survive, found themselves in a suitable climate and lots of bird feeders and they've reproduced.
In Chicago we have quaker parrots. They were introduced when a crate of imported wild birds fell off a trolley at an airport many years ago. They breed and have spread across the chicago region.
California has conures and Amazons, again harking back to the days of imports. A cage tips over and it only takes a few of these still very much wild birds to produce a large population.
And actually all the parrots are pretty common pets. There's probably not a concentrated effort to introduce parrots but I know that in Australia, there are wild cockatoo flocks which have learned human words from the occasional pet which someone cannot handle anymore and sets free. If they integrate into a wild flock, the natives show them what to eat and they do survive.
~Dylan
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Babs _Owner
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Dave
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Re: Interesting Read
Conspiracy, hmmm. I'm getting a picture....of a small parrot dressed in a black helicopter suit.
Actually, 1 pair could be 4 pair after 1 year. 8 or 10 pair after 2 years. Etc. 1968 was 49 years ago, so 'nuisance level' could be easily reached in that time.
Actually, 1 pair could be 4 pair after 1 year. 8 or 10 pair after 2 years. Etc. 1968 was 49 years ago, so 'nuisance level' could be easily reached in that time.
Dave
Campbellsville, Kentucky, USA
Canaries
Campbellsville, Kentucky, USA
Canaries
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Icearstorm
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Re: Interesting Read
lovezebs
How could a single pair have enough genetic diversity to have high fertility after multiple generations? I mean, the California Condors seem to be doing decent genetically, but there are more than two unrelated individuals, and the birds were/are genetically tested and paired to insure a strong gene pool. These parakeets most likely were not, so how could this continue naturally?
How could a single pair have enough genetic diversity to have high fertility after multiple generations? I mean, the California Condors seem to be doing decent genetically, but there are more than two unrelated individuals, and the birds were/are genetically tested and paired to insure a strong gene pool. These parakeets most likely were not, so how could this continue naturally?
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lovezebs
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Re: Interesting Read
Icearstorm
I do believe there were more than one pair involved, although they don't state how many birds there were actually.
I do believe there were more than one pair involved, although they don't state how many birds there were actually.
~Elana~
Linnies~ Canaries ~ Zebras ~ Societies ~ Gouldians ~ Orange Cheeks ~ Shaft Tails ~ Strawberries ~ Red Cheek Cordon Bleu ~ Goldbreasts ~ Red Brows ~ Owls ~ Budgies ~ Diamond Firetails ~ Javas ~ Forbes Parrot Finches ~
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Sheather
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Re: Interesting Read
Small animals are usually pretty resistant to inbreeding depression. Some babies may be deformed, but in the end usually a majority survive and eventually enough new mutations develop that genetic diversity recovers.
~Dylan
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Icearstorm
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Re: Interesting Read
lovezebs
That would make more sense.
Sheather
How does that work unless they have a vastly different number of protein-coding genes? Or is it that small animals are generally r-selected? This, coupled with the lack of predators in Hawaii, could mean the population would be fine even if 50% of the offspring were sterile or malformed, giving the population enough time to mutate and establish more genetic diversity as you were saying. Or are there less DNA repairs, leading to mutations in the gametes staying and furthering genetic diversity? This seems fairly likely, as small animals typically don't live long, leading to less investment in DNA repair and more investment in other survival/reproduction processes.
That would make more sense.
Sheather
How does that work unless they have a vastly different number of protein-coding genes? Or is it that small animals are generally r-selected? This, coupled with the lack of predators in Hawaii, could mean the population would be fine even if 50% of the offspring were sterile or malformed, giving the population enough time to mutate and establish more genetic diversity as you were saying. Or are there less DNA repairs, leading to mutations in the gametes staying and furthering genetic diversity? This seems fairly likely, as small animals typically don't live long, leading to less investment in DNA repair and more investment in other survival/reproduction processes.