The Rose-winged Parakeet Project

The Rose-ringed Parakeet is an invasive parrot species which inhabits urban areas of South Africa. It is currently listed as a Category 2 invasive species in the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act.

Researchers from the University of the Witwatersrand are launching the Rose-ringed Parakeet Project to firstly locate parakeet roosting/breeding sites and secondly investigate the size and distribution range of the Rose-ringed parakeet population in Gauteng. This will be complemented by parallel studies (in association with European researchers and ParrotNet) focused on the behaviour of these birds in Gauteng. This will improve our understanding of the ecology and behaviour of the species in South African urban environments and ensure that informed decisions are made by policy makers regarding the status and management of this parrot.

Have you seen a Rose-ringed Parakeet? Do you live in Gauteng? Do you want to participate in this project? Then join their Facebook group.

All birders, citizen scientists, outdoor enthusiasts, and members of the public are invited to assist with and collaborate on the project by submitting sightings of these parakeets to the project database. They particularly need information on the exact location of permanent roosting and breeding sites as well as the number of parakeets seen.

Data submission guidelines: Please follow this link to the Google data form, fill it in, and submit. You may submit more than one form for the project. Please fill in all required fields as completely as possible.

If you have photos of Rose-ringed Parakeets, please send them to the Rose-winged Parakeet Project at urbanparakeets@gmail.com.If you have any questions or need further information please contact Craig Symes or Elize Fourie.