Public surveys of rose-ringed parakeets, Psittacula krameri, in the Durban Metropolitan area, South Africa

Abstract

Globally, the rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri, is the most invasive parrot species and became established in South Africa in the 1970s. The aim of this survey was to determine the current occurrence and distribution of rose-ringed parakeets in the greater Durban Metropolitan area of eThekwini, by engaging the public. Within the study area, rose-ringed parakeets currently occupy c. 730 km². They occur along the coast from Umhlanga in the north to Merebank in the south, extending inland to Mt Edgecombe and Pinetown in the west. Four roosts were located in the study area, with one becoming inactive during the study period. Roosts varied in size from c. 20–100 parakeets each. Comparison of SABAP1 and SABAP2 data indicate that populations are also established in Pietermaritzburg, Cape Town, and Steytlerville in the Eastern Cape. Trends from this study indicate that rose-ringed parakeets are expanding their distribution particularly in the Durban Metropolitan area.