„Problem birds“ Rose-ringed parakeets in Bonn cause noise, dirt and joy
Bonn · Again and again the mainly green parakeets are populating the trees along the Rhine river banks in Bonn and causing serious noise and dirt. Since the 1970s the birds, who originally come from Africa and Asia, are familiar to the area.
What’s all-green, „screeches“, sits in trees and causes some amount of dirt? The answer: rose-ringed parakeets. They are populating the trees at the river banks of the Rhine in Bonn - as well as the Tannenbusch dune, the castle in Poppeldsorf, the Villa Hammerschmidt and the Rheindorf fortress. Where they live in larger groups, a sometimes deafening noise in the shape of their continuous screeching can be heard. And whoever dares to stand under one of the trees occupied by them has to expect at least some bird poo from above…
It can get a bit unpleasant if a large group of the birds spreads over the backyards of the inner city. Residents are then faced with the question: How to get rid of them? A few of the birds have been seen in the western part of the city too.
The animals grew so much in numbers that experts are already discussing if they are threatening domestic species. The rose-ringed parakeet can be a problem for the local cave breeders. According to the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, the rose-ringed parakeet is „potentially invasive,” which is why the agency suggests the need to keep an eye on the situation.
People like the parakeets
The originally Northern African and Asian bird species came to Bonn in the 1970s. At first there were only a few birds. But over the years the population is growing noticeably.
But the presence of the exotic birds seems to be no problem for Bonn people: According to the city council nobody had yet complained about nuisances caused by the birds. There are also no plans by the city to banish the birds from Bonn. Quite the opposite, as many people „are delighted to see the parakeets“, said a spokesperson for the city council.
What you need to know
Of course the feeding of the birds should be avoided at all times. This could cause the birds to stay longer in one place than they should. Private measures to banish the birds, especially if those could lead to causing harm to the animals, are not only inappropriate or even explicitly prohibited, but can lead to fines for animal abuse or other violations of the animal and species protection act.
(Original text: Dierk Himstedt / Translation: Mareike Graepel)
