A peculiar addition to the wildlife of South London are the 'colonies' of feral rose ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameri)

Nobody is quite sure how these colourful birds (native to India) came to be found living in the trees and gardens of London; popular theories include an escape from Ealing Studios during filming or an accident with a shipping crate at Heathrow Airport.

However they came to become part of the landscape in London they are now viewed by many as an invasive species (up there with grey squirrels and Japanese knotweed) and like other invading species they have now got enough of a foothold in the ecosystem that they are probably here to stay.

The parakeets also featured in a post on My Family and Other Animals.