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[oldsheep]

We have a lot of green parakeets round here and I love them as they make me laugh. But they've got into an air vent in the building and have had a (several, by the sound of it) happy event. We can hear loud squeaking and chirping and wing flapping just the other side of the wall near our sofa.
If I report it to the building boss, the pest control will be round and they'll seal the vent with wire and we will hear the babies starving to death, which would be unbearable. I want to wait until they've all flown off, then report it so they don't come back for another nest.

I know they can be destructive of any cables or pipes (don't know what, if anything, is in the space) - the birdies have opened a flap to get in - and it's really high off the ground so possibly only a scaffold can reach it! 
Assume there is no real health risk? I get a bit neurotic as OH can't take antibiotics as had C Diff a year ago. They are below or at our floor height, behind the wall. Can't see them.

[CLKD]

 Birds nesting sites cannot be disturbed ! enjoy them  ……… I doubt if there are any more risks from parasites etc. than from other birds. 

Your air vent is there for a reason, to block it would be negligent though there may be a wire mesh that could be placed over so that they don't nest there next year

[Taz2]

I found this on a pest control site oldsheep.

"

Parakeet Control in London, Surrey, Kent and Sussex

Ring-neck and Monk parakeet numbers have increased in recent years with the birds successfully living wild in London and the South East. Classified as agricultural and horticultural pests by Natural England in 2010, these birds do still enjoy the legal protection afforded wild birds and it remains illegal to kill or interfere with them other than in exceptional circumstances.

Parakeets have strong beaks and when they enter loft spaces they can chew exposed beams and rafters. These birds are extremely clever at finding their way into buildings through air-vents and cause considerable damage resulting in serious concern over the safety of roof structures.

Tropical birds are thriving here because of global warming and we are expecting lots more calls as people discover the damage parakeets are causing and as the numbers increase. Our preferred method is to proof buildings so the birds cannot re-enter or land – in the same way that we deter pigeons. They may only be about 16 inches in height, but parakeets' beaks are very large and extremely powerful which means they can do a lot of damage in a short amount of time.

Parakeet problem?
We normally recommend preventative action when the birds have finished nesting and have left. We can then carry out ‘proofing' work which involves using different methods such as blocking entrance holes or installing nets, sprung wire ms or bird repellent systems that discourage birds from landing, roosting or nesting. The method depends on the bird and the situation.

Parakeets are known to be aggressive towards other birds and are deterring our native species from settling. One of the species they compete with for nest holes in trees is the Nuthatch because of this we may witness a general decline in numbers of this native bird as parakeets increase.

We deal with many calls about pest parakeets, ranging from businesses to sleep deprived homeowners who are being kept awake by birds nesting in eaves outside bedroom windows. They make an incredible racket!"

After the nesting season seems a good time to report it I reckon so they wont come back again next year. I haven't seen anything about health risks though.

Taz x

[CLKD]

 

There are diseases that can be caught from parrots but one has to handle them on a regular basis.

[oldsheep]

loud cheeping and flapping this morning    Thank goodness they're in the lounge area, not the bedroom.
I mentioned it to the Boss of the Building yesterday and he said we probably can't afford to mesh the vent, as it's so high it'd need a scaffold!
I have read in the local paper about pest control co's making a fortune out of removing parakeets who've found their way in. They are so clever (the parakeets, not the pest control crowd!). I thoroughly disagree about their being aggressive to other birds. Not true. It's an anti-alien species mania. (rant over).

The magpies are the ones I regularly see threatening other native species' young. We even had a WW2 type swooping battle once in the communal garden's many trees. We have a lot of birds here. Constant birdsong.
I wish I could see the parakeet babies though!

[Limpy]

I thoroughly disagree about their being aggressive to other birds. Not true. It's an anti-alien species mania. (rant over).

Why is not true, have you had many dealings with feral parakeets?

They would seem to be well equipped to harass other birds.

[oldsheep]

The London Wildlife Trust has adopted them as a native species. They are no more prevalent here than pigeons, crows, magpies etc. The latter 2 are very aggressive to other species' young. Food here is so plentiful that there's no problem.

Let's just say I've had past dealings with conservationists who preach eugenics and try to wipe out all "non native" species, even when there is no damning proof against them, just suppositions based entirely on the fact that they are non native ergo must be dangerous.Some introduced species are harmful, others are not.

Anyhow am enjoying the cheeping and hope that I am outside on the day that the vent opens and little green critters fly away.

[Taz2]

They are not aggressive as such but they are causing a problem with native birds. This seems quite a well balanced article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/10776252/Noisy-parakeets-drive-away-native-birds.html

Taz x

[CLKD]

We have in our garden jackdaws and magpies …… 7 of the former, 3 of the latter which will take eggs/fledglings from nests.  I don't think parakeets are predatory in the same way.

However, they are alien.  They have taken over parts of the South …….. I am surprised that they haven't been predated upon!  Don't know how I feel about having them here  ……..

[oldsheep]

I'm an alien too. I love them. I saw a face peek out today, but too high up to see it clearly. Loud cheeping tonight from under my floor boards.
I took a short video on my phone when I was in the garden earlier of all the birdsong (no parakeets). Some days it's deafening. We have a lot of green space and trees round here.
It's stuck on my phone as have no idea how to get it off (android phone - mac laptop - oldsheep brain  )