Birmingham's parakeet population soars in 2025: Exotic green birds surge in gardens and parks

The ring-necked parakeet, with its vibrant green plumage and unmistakable squawk, has become an increasingly familiar sight across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.

Once rare, these exotic birds are now flourishing in urban parks and suburban gardens, with numbers surging dramatically over recent years.

A striking example of this boom: In Shard End, night footage from 2025 captured a roost of over 500 parakeets—a staggering leap from just 24 birds recorded in 2017. Watch the video.

• Cannon Hill Park (Birmingham): Sightings are frequent, especially around the wooded zones where the birds nest and forage.
• Sutton Park (Sutton Coldfield): With its mix of heathland and woodland, this vast park provides a perfect sanctuary.
• Sandwell Valley Country Park (West Bromwich): Parakeets flock to bird feeders and forage in wooded areas.
• Edgbaston Reservoir (Birmingham): The tranquil, tree-lined perimeter makes an ideal nesting site.
• Walsall Arboretum (Walsall): Quiet, tree-dense sections host multiple parakeet sightings.
• Warley Woods (Smethwick): The birds are using local trees for nesting and feast on seeds and fruits.
• Elmdon Park (Solihull): Now considered a parakeet stronghold, with consistent population growth.
• Highbury Park (Moseley): Regular flocks can be seen darting between treetops.
• East Birmingham gardens: These bright invaders have become common guests, especially where feeders are filled with peanuts and seeds.
• Shard End: Home to one of the region’s largest urban flocks, showing continued roosting and breeding success.

• Origins from Escape: It’s believed today’s flocks descend from captive birds that escaped or were released, possibly as early as the 1960s.
• Urban Adaptability: Ring-necked parakeets aren’t fussy—they adapt easily to urban and suburban environments.
• Mild Winters: The relatively gentle winters in the West Midlands support year-round survival and breeding.
• Food & Shelter: Parks and green spaces offer abundant food sources and nesting sites.
• Human Hospitality: Public fascination has led many to feed the birds, encouraging them to stay and breed locally.

What began as a curious anomaly is now an undeniable part of the Midlands' wildlife scene.

As 2025 unfolds, the ring-necked parakeet has gone from exotic escapee to full-fledged urban resident. Keep your eyes—and ears—open; they might be nesting near you next!