A small flock of ring-necked parakeets have been spotted in a Nottingham park. The non-native birds are commonly found in south-east England but are rarely seen anywhere else.
At least three were spotted near the Nottingham Hockey Centre in Highfields Park over the weekend. Erin McDaid, from Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, said the trust had received reports of the green birds over the past few years, including from Wollaton Park, Attenborough Nature Reserve and people's gardens.
He said their presence could be down to two factors. "We have to presume it's a combination of British-bred captive birds being more adapted to our climate - and milder winters meaning they have survived and found enough food to eat," Mr McDaid told Nottinghamshire Live.
Ring-necked parakeets are well known in the greater London area after steadily growing in numbers since the 1970s. Many were either released from or escaped captivity.
