EIR - Ring-necked parakeets [Apr 2023]

Your request 

1. Are you currently undertaking management measures to reduce the population size of the ring-necked parakeet in the London area? If yes, which ones?

2. Have you been undertaking management measures against the ring-necked parakeet in the past?
3. In the London Environment Strategy 2018 the spread of invasive non-native species is considered as a threat to priority habitats and species. What exactly are your plans to tackle the problem of invasive species in London? And do you have specific plans concerning the ring-necked parakeet?
4. The ring-necked parakeet is listed as a permitted target species under the General Licence (GL40 and GL42) in England. Do you know if or to which extent the licences are used in regard to the ring-necked parakeet in London?
5. How would you assess the management of the ring-necked parakeet under the general licences? Is it an effective tool to contribute to a containment of the species in London? 
6. Are you receiving any complaints concerning the ring-necked parakeet by the public or other groups of actors?
7. How would you assess the presence of the ring-necked parakeet in London regarding a) its potential threat for London wildlife, b) its potential for economic and agricultural damage and c) its potential for sanitary problems?

Our response

1. No. The GLA is not a major landowner and does not have any significant responsibility for or powers relating to the day-to-day management of Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) or other parks and green spaces.
2. The GLA is London's strategic government and does not operate in the same way as local Borough Councils. We therefore do not hold the information you have requested and you would need to contact the individual local Borough Councils: https://directory.londoncouncils.gov.uk/  
3. London's most valuable and special places for wildlife are recognised by the Mayor and London boroughs as Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs). There are more than 1,600 SINCs across the city. These sites are the core of London’s wildlife network and need to be at the heart of any actions to rewild the city and recover nature. The GLA is not a major landowner and does not have any significant responsibility for or powers relating to the day-to-day management of these sites or other parks and green spaces. Land management, including management of priority habitats and species and invasive species, largely falls to London’s Boroughs and other major landowners who have responsibility for managing and maintaining large areas of green space such as public parks. You may wish to write to each London Borough for further information: London Government Directory (londoncouncils.gov.uk).The Mayor supports the Greenspace Information for Greater London (GiGL) who act as a central repository and manager of data by collecting and curating data on a London-wide basis. For example, GiGL hosts and is partnered with the London Invasive Species Initiative (LISI) and acts as a repository for invasive non-native species records. The LISI species of concern list is available for download from GiGL’s website. See here: London Invasive Species - GIGL. The list is updated by Boroughs and the wider London recording community. The GLA has no specific plans relating to the ring-necked parakeet. 
4. The GLA does not hold data on this.
5. The GLA does not hold information on General Licences. You may wish to contact Defra for more information on the General Licences.
6. No complaints have been sent to the Mayor of London as of 29 March 2023. 
7. The GLA has no specific information on this question. You may wish to review information provided by organisations such as the RSPB, the London Wildlife Trust, British Trust for Ornithology, London Natural History Society and ZSL. See also the species information portal provided by the NNSS (GB Non-Native Species Secretariat). See here Non-native species » NNSS (nonnativespecies.org)