Parakeet population explosion in London

The New York Times reports that the population of tropical rose-ringed parakeets in Britain, up from 1,500 ten years ago from escaped or deliberately released pets, has grown to an estimated 30,000 today, "turning a once-exotic bird into a notorious pest that awakens children, monopolizes garden bird feeders, and might even threaten British crops."

The problem is acute in the suburbs of London, with one retiree reporting consumption of the contents of an entire bird feeder in one day.