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Diederik Strubbe - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Mediterranean versus Atlantic monk Parakeets Myiopsitta monachus: towards differentiated management at the European scale.
Pest Management Science, 2019Co-Authors: Jose Luis Postigo, Diederik Strubbe, Emiliano Mori, Leonardo Ancillotto, Inês Carneiro, P. Latsoudis, Mattia Menchetti, Liviu G. Pârâu, Dave Parrott, Luís ReinoAbstract:BACKGROUND: The monk parakeet Myiopsitta monachus (Boddaert), native to South America, is an invasive species in several European countries, causing crop damage and potential negative impacts on wildlife. Only Spain and Great Britain have regulations to control monk Parakeets, thus fast growth and spread of populations are likely to occur on a wide scale. The aims of this research are to update information on the distribution and population size of monk Parakeets in Europe, assess whether differences in population growth or spread rate exist between populations, and provide recommendations to decision-makers. RESULTS: Our study estimates that there are 23 758 monk Parakeets in the wild, across 179 municipalities in eight European Union (EU) countries; 84% of these municipalities hold between 1 and 100 monk Parakeets. All countries with a representative historical record are experiencing exponential growth of monk Parakeets. Mediterranean countries are experiencing higher exponential growth, spread rate and faster colonization of new municipalities than Atlantic countries. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend that EU Mediterranean countries consider declaration of the monk parakeet as invasive alien species of regional concern, and develop coordinated efforts to monitor and manage the species, taking advantage of the low population sizes in most municipalities. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Reproductive timing as a constraint on invasion success in the Ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
Biological Invasions, 2017Co-Authors: Álvaro Luna, Assaf Shwartz, Diederik Strubbe, Emiliano Mori, Dailos Hernández-brito, Michael P. Braun, Detlev Franz, Yariv Malihi, Asaf Kaplan, Mattia MenchettiAbstract:Climate similarity favors biological invasion, but a match between seasonality in the novel range and the timing of life cycle events of the invader also influences the outcome of species introduction. Yet, phenology effects on invasion success have generally been neglected. Here we study whether a phenological mismatch limits the non-native range of a globally successful invader, the Ring-necked parakeet, in Europe. Given the latitudes at which Parakeets have established across Europe, they breed earlier than expected based on breeding dates from the native Asian range. Moreover, comparing the breeding dates of European populations to those of Parakeets in the native Asian range, to five native breeding bird species in Europe and to the start of the growing season of four native European trees shows that the discrepancy between expected and actual breeding phenology is greater in northern Europe. In northern European populations, this temporal mismatch appears to have negative effects on hatching success, and on population growth rates in years that are colder than average in the first six months. Phenological mismatch also can explain why Parakeets from African populations (that are more likely to breed in autumn) have been poor invaders compared to Parakeets from Asia. These lines of evidence support the hypothesis that the reproductive phenology of the Ring-necked parakeet can be a limiting factor for establishment and range expansion in colder climates. Our results provide growing support for the hypothesis that the match between climate seasonality and timing of reproduction (or other important life cycle events) can affect the establishment success, invasive potential and distribution range of introduced non-native species, beyond the mere effect of climate similarity.
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unrelenting spread of the alien monk parakeet myiopsitta monachus in israel is it time to sound the alarm
Pest Management Science, 2017Co-Authors: Jose Luis Postigo, Assaf Shwartz, Diederik Strubbe, Antonioroman MunozAbstract:BACKGROUND: Monk Parakeets, Myiopsitta monachus Boddaert, are native to South America but have established populations in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. They are claimed to act as agricultural pests in their native range, and their communal stick nests may damage human infrastructure. Although several monk parakeet populations are present in the Mediterranean Basin and temperate Europe, little empirical data are available on their population size and growth, distribution and potential impact. We investigated the temporal and spatial dynamics of monk Parakeets in Israel to assess their invasion success and potential impact on agriculture. RESULTS: Monk parakeet populations are growing exponentially at a higher rate than that reported elsewhere. The current Israeli population of monk Parakeets comprises approximately 1500 individuals. The distribution of the species has increased and shifted from predominantly urban areas to agricultural landscapes. CONCLUSIONS: In Israel, monk parakeet populations are growing fast and have dispersed rapidly from cities to agricultural areas. At present, reports of agricultural damage are scarce. A complete assessment of possible management strategies is urgently needed before the population becomes too large and widespread to allow for cost-effective mitigation campaigns to be implemented. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
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‘The early bird catches the nest’: possible competition between scops owls and ring-necked Parakeets
Animal Conservation, 2017Co-Authors: Emiliano Mori, Leonardo Ancillotto, Mattia Menchetti, Diederik StrubbeAbstract:Competition for critical resources is one of the key mechanisms through which invasive species impact on native communities. Among birds, the widely introduced ring-necked parakeet Psittacula krameri locally affects cavity-nesting communities through competition for suitable tree cavities, although it remains unclear to what extent such competition translates into population declines of native species. Here, we studied the potential for nest site competition between ring-necked Parakeets and the native scops owl Otus scops, a small nocturnal migratory raptor, by comparing the spatial distribution of the nest site locations of the raptor before (2002) and after (2015) the parakeet invasion. Pre-invasion nesting sites of scops owls (2002) strongly coincided with those selected by ring-necked Parakeets, but although both parakeet and scops owl populations increased during the study period, this was no longer true for 2015. Ring-necked Parakeets took over several cavities formerly occupied by scops owls, and land-use data suggest that because of the higher overall breeding densities in 2015, scops owls were forced to occupy suboptimal breeding habitats to minimize nest site competition with invasive Parakeets. Ring-necked Parakeets start breeding early in the season, a behaviour enabling them to secure the best nest sites first, before the owls return from their wintering grounds. Our study highlights that locally observed competition not necessarily impacts on population dynamics of competing species and thus warns against uncritical extrapolation of smaller scale studies for assessing invasive species risks at larger spatial scales. Nonetheless, given the increasing number of studies demonstrating its competitive capacities, monitoring of ring-necked parakeet populations is prudent and mitigation measures (such as mounting of man-made nest-boxes, which are used by scops owls, but not by Parakeets) may be justified when the Parakeets are likely to invade areas harbouring cavity-nesters of conservation concern.
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Unrelenting spread of the alien monk parakeet Myiopsitta monachus in Israel. Is it time to sound the alarm
Pest management science, 2016Co-Authors: Jose Luis Postigo, Assaf Shwartz, Diederik Strubbe, Antonioroman MunozAbstract:Monk Parakeets, Myiopsitta monachus Boddaert, are native to South America but have established populations in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. They are claimed to act as agricultural pests in their native range, and their communal stick nests may damage human infrastructure. Although several monk parakeet populations are present in the Mediterranean Basin and temperate Europe, little empirical data are available on their population size and growth, distribution and potential impact. We investigated the temporal and spatial dynamics of monk Parakeets in Israel to assess their invasion success and potential impact on agriculture. Monk parakeet populations are growing exponentially at a higher rate than that reported elsewhere. The current Israeli population of monk Parakeets comprises approximately 1500 individuals. The distribution of the species has increased and shifted from predominantly urban areas to agricultural landscapes. In Israel, monk parakeet populations are growing fast and have dispersed rapidly from cities to agricultural areas. At present, reports of agricultural damage are scarce. A complete assessment of possible management strategies is urgently needed before the population becomes too large and widespread to allow for cost-effective mitigation campaigns to be implemented. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
Antonioroman Munoz - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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The Legal International Wildlife Trade Favours Invasive Species Establishment: The Monk and Ring-Necked Parakeets in Spain
Ardeola, 2018Co-Authors: Lucrecia Souviron-priego, Antonioroman Munoz, J. Mario Vargas, Jesus Olivero, John E. FaAbstract:The international wildlife trade is a lucrative business. Although a huge variety of animal groups are trafficked, the Psittaciformes (parrots) are amongst the most traded avian groups. Deliberate or accidental releases of imported parrots have led to the establishment of feral populations in many countries. Far from their native habitats, parrots may cause economic and ecological damage, and may even favour the transmission of zoonotic diseases. Despite this, the links between numbers of imported individuals and the establishment of non-native populations is not well known. In this study, we analysed data on imports of two well-known invasive parrots, the Monk Parakeet Myiopsitamonachus and the Ring-necked Parakeet Psittacula krameri, in Spain. We contrasted this information with the growth of known naturalised populations of these species from 1975 to 2015 and compared the success of these two species with other Psittaciformes imported in similar numbers into the country. We show that more than 190,000 Monk Parakeets were imported from Uruguay and Argentina, and almost 63,000 Ring-necked Parakeets were legally brought into the country from Pakistan and Senegal. For both species, wild populations grew exponentially following peak importation periods in 2015 (18,980–21,455 Monk Parakeets and 3,005–3,115 Ring-necked Parakeets). Even though imports of the two species were banned in Spain in 2005, wild populations are now self-sustaining. We argue that these parrot populations started from accidental and deliberate bird escapes, especially from birds originally captured in the wild. Although lack of more precise data makes it difficult for us to propose clear statistical associations between imports and established bird populations, we nonetheless suggest that the international trade is with some certainty the main cause for the origin of naturalised populations of invasive species in Spain. Our conclusions are useful to help manage similar animal groups that are numerous in the wildlife trade, especially for wild-caught social species.—Lucrecia Souviron-Priego, Antonio Roman Munoz, Jesus Olivero, J. Mario Vargas & John E. Fa. (2018). The legal international wildlife trade favours invasive species establishment: the Monk and Ring-neked Parakeets in Spain. Ardeola, 65: 233–246.
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unrelenting spread of the alien monk parakeet myiopsitta monachus in israel is it time to sound the alarm
Pest Management Science, 2017Co-Authors: Jose Luis Postigo, Assaf Shwartz, Diederik Strubbe, Antonioroman MunozAbstract:BACKGROUND: Monk Parakeets, Myiopsitta monachus Boddaert, are native to South America but have established populations in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. They are claimed to act as agricultural pests in their native range, and their communal stick nests may damage human infrastructure. Although several monk parakeet populations are present in the Mediterranean Basin and temperate Europe, little empirical data are available on their population size and growth, distribution and potential impact. We investigated the temporal and spatial dynamics of monk Parakeets in Israel to assess their invasion success and potential impact on agriculture. RESULTS: Monk parakeet populations are growing exponentially at a higher rate than that reported elsewhere. The current Israeli population of monk Parakeets comprises approximately 1500 individuals. The distribution of the species has increased and shifted from predominantly urban areas to agricultural landscapes. CONCLUSIONS: In Israel, monk parakeet populations are growing fast and have dispersed rapidly from cities to agricultural areas. At present, reports of agricultural damage are scarce. A complete assessment of possible management strategies is urgently needed before the population becomes too large and widespread to allow for cost-effective mitigation campaigns to be implemented. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Unrelenting spread of the alien monk parakeet Myiopsitta monachus in Israel. Is it time to sound the alarm
Pest management science, 2016Co-Authors: Jose Luis Postigo, Assaf Shwartz, Diederik Strubbe, Antonioroman MunozAbstract:Monk Parakeets, Myiopsitta monachus Boddaert, are native to South America but have established populations in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. They are claimed to act as agricultural pests in their native range, and their communal stick nests may damage human infrastructure. Although several monk parakeet populations are present in the Mediterranean Basin and temperate Europe, little empirical data are available on their population size and growth, distribution and potential impact. We investigated the temporal and spatial dynamics of monk Parakeets in Israel to assess their invasion success and potential impact on agriculture. Monk parakeet populations are growing exponentially at a higher rate than that reported elsewhere. The current Israeli population of monk Parakeets comprises approximately 1500 individuals. The distribution of the species has increased and shifted from predominantly urban areas to agricultural landscapes. In Israel, monk parakeet populations are growing fast and have dispersed rapidly from cities to agricultural areas. At present, reports of agricultural damage are scarce. A complete assessment of possible management strategies is urgently needed before the population becomes too large and widespread to allow for cost-effective mitigation campaigns to be implemented. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
Mattia Menchetti - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Mediterranean versus Atlantic monk Parakeets Myiopsitta monachus: towards differentiated management at the European scale.
Pest Management Science, 2019Co-Authors: Jose Luis Postigo, Diederik Strubbe, Emiliano Mori, Leonardo Ancillotto, Inês Carneiro, P. Latsoudis, Mattia Menchetti, Liviu G. Pârâu, Dave Parrott, Luís ReinoAbstract:BACKGROUND: The monk parakeet Myiopsitta monachus (Boddaert), native to South America, is an invasive species in several European countries, causing crop damage and potential negative impacts on wildlife. Only Spain and Great Britain have regulations to control monk Parakeets, thus fast growth and spread of populations are likely to occur on a wide scale. The aims of this research are to update information on the distribution and population size of monk Parakeets in Europe, assess whether differences in population growth or spread rate exist between populations, and provide recommendations to decision-makers. RESULTS: Our study estimates that there are 23 758 monk Parakeets in the wild, across 179 municipalities in eight European Union (EU) countries; 84% of these municipalities hold between 1 and 100 monk Parakeets. All countries with a representative historical record are experiencing exponential growth of monk Parakeets. Mediterranean countries are experiencing higher exponential growth, spread rate and faster colonization of new municipalities than Atlantic countries. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend that EU Mediterranean countries consider declaration of the monk parakeet as invasive alien species of regional concern, and develop coordinated efforts to monitor and manage the species, taking advantage of the low population sizes in most municipalities. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Vertical segregation by breeding ring-necked Parakeets Psittacula krameri in northern Italy
Urban Ecosystems, 2018Co-Authors: Gioele Grandi, Mattia Menchetti, Emiliano MoriAbstract:Cavities represent a limiting resource for breeding birds, thus triggering potential competition, mostly in urban ecosystems. The ring-necked parakeet Psittacula krameri is one of the main alien invasive bird species of the world. Introduced populations are reported for over 35 countries, Italy included. This parakeet mainly depends on trunk cavities for reproduction but, occasionally, it may nest within building holes. A growing population of this species is present in the urban area of Pavia (northern Italy). Differently, from what has been observed in other colonies of the global introduced range, most of this urban population nests within the putlog holes of the Visconti castle and surrounding towers, together with four native species. In this work, we counted the breeding pairs of ring-necked Parakeets nesting within putlog holes of castle and tower walls and estimated the breeding population size. Observations were carried out once a week, 30 min before sunset, for an hour, from the start of April to the end of August 2016 and 2017. We assessed whether a vertical segregation occurred between Parakeets and native species (i.e. the rock pigeon, the jackdaw, the Italian sparrow and the common swift) through a dissimilarity index. Inter-specific interactions have never been observed, despite two pigeon ticks being detected on rescued Parakeets. A strong vertical segregation was observed between ring-necked Parakeets and pigeons, and between ring-necked Parakeets and common swifts. Ring-necked Parakeets and jackdaws were mostly observed in the highest putlog holes. No breeding parakeet pair was observed within plain trunk cavities in the surroundings of the castle walls, which were instead occupied by jackdaws and tawny owls. Most parakeet nests were located on the eastern wall, where they receive the first light at dawn.
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Reproductive timing as a constraint on invasion success in the Ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
Biological Invasions, 2017Co-Authors: Álvaro Luna, Assaf Shwartz, Diederik Strubbe, Emiliano Mori, Dailos Hernández-brito, Michael P. Braun, Detlev Franz, Yariv Malihi, Asaf Kaplan, Mattia MenchettiAbstract:Climate similarity favors biological invasion, but a match between seasonality in the novel range and the timing of life cycle events of the invader also influences the outcome of species introduction. Yet, phenology effects on invasion success have generally been neglected. Here we study whether a phenological mismatch limits the non-native range of a globally successful invader, the Ring-necked parakeet, in Europe. Given the latitudes at which Parakeets have established across Europe, they breed earlier than expected based on breeding dates from the native Asian range. Moreover, comparing the breeding dates of European populations to those of Parakeets in the native Asian range, to five native breeding bird species in Europe and to the start of the growing season of four native European trees shows that the discrepancy between expected and actual breeding phenology is greater in northern Europe. In northern European populations, this temporal mismatch appears to have negative effects on hatching success, and on population growth rates in years that are colder than average in the first six months. Phenological mismatch also can explain why Parakeets from African populations (that are more likely to breed in autumn) have been poor invaders compared to Parakeets from Asia. These lines of evidence support the hypothesis that the reproductive phenology of the Ring-necked parakeet can be a limiting factor for establishment and range expansion in colder climates. Our results provide growing support for the hypothesis that the match between climate seasonality and timing of reproduction (or other important life cycle events) can affect the establishment success, invasive potential and distribution range of introduced non-native species, beyond the mere effect of climate similarity.
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‘The early bird catches the nest’: possible competition between scops owls and ring-necked Parakeets
Animal Conservation, 2017Co-Authors: Emiliano Mori, Leonardo Ancillotto, Mattia Menchetti, Diederik StrubbeAbstract:Competition for critical resources is one of the key mechanisms through which invasive species impact on native communities. Among birds, the widely introduced ring-necked parakeet Psittacula krameri locally affects cavity-nesting communities through competition for suitable tree cavities, although it remains unclear to what extent such competition translates into population declines of native species. Here, we studied the potential for nest site competition between ring-necked Parakeets and the native scops owl Otus scops, a small nocturnal migratory raptor, by comparing the spatial distribution of the nest site locations of the raptor before (2002) and after (2015) the parakeet invasion. Pre-invasion nesting sites of scops owls (2002) strongly coincided with those selected by ring-necked Parakeets, but although both parakeet and scops owl populations increased during the study period, this was no longer true for 2015. Ring-necked Parakeets took over several cavities formerly occupied by scops owls, and land-use data suggest that because of the higher overall breeding densities in 2015, scops owls were forced to occupy suboptimal breeding habitats to minimize nest site competition with invasive Parakeets. Ring-necked Parakeets start breeding early in the season, a behaviour enabling them to secure the best nest sites first, before the owls return from their wintering grounds. Our study highlights that locally observed competition not necessarily impacts on population dynamics of competing species and thus warns against uncritical extrapolation of smaller scale studies for assessing invasive species risks at larger spatial scales. Nonetheless, given the increasing number of studies demonstrating its competitive capacities, monitoring of ring-necked parakeet populations is prudent and mitigation measures (such as mounting of man-made nest-boxes, which are used by scops owls, but not by Parakeets) may be justified when the Parakeets are likely to invade areas harbouring cavity-nesters of conservation concern.
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Effects of the Recent World Invasion by Ring-Necked Parakeets Psittacula krameri
Problematic Wildlife, 2015Co-Authors: Mattia Menchetti, Emiliano Mori, Francesco Maria AngeliciAbstract:Over 60 out of 355 currently living parrot species have established at least one breeding population outside their natural distribution ranges. Among those, the ring-necked parakeet is one of the most successful invaders. This species is a gregarious Afro-Asian parakeet with an extremely large distribution range, recorded in over 35 countries outside its native extent of occurrence. Despite being one of the most introduced bird species throughout the world, its interactions with native biodiversity and environment are not completely known and rely mainly on anecdotal evidence. Future researchers are therefore required to fill these gaps. Trunk cavities represent the preferred breeding sites of these alien parrots and indicate potential routes of direct and indirect competition with native hole-nesting bird species, such as nuthatches and starlings. Interactions with tree squirrels, bats and insects are rarely reported but may be more severe than currently known. Droppings by ring-necked Parakeets may alter the herbaceous vegetation under the roost but direct cause–effect relationships for this phenomenon are hard to assess if no data about floral composition before the time of invasion is available. Ring-necked Parakeets may have economic impacts, being responsible for crop damage, as well as societal impacts; three bird strikes with airplanes involved this species in England. The ring-necked parakeet is a potential reservoir of a plethora of diseases transmittable to humans and wildlife. No data concerning ecosystem recovery after the removal of ring-necked Parakeets is available, as eradication and numerical control programmes are often hampered by the emotional affiliation which links humans to these bright birds.
Jose Luis Postigo - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Mediterranean versus Atlantic monk Parakeets Myiopsitta monachus: towards differentiated management at the European scale.
Pest Management Science, 2019Co-Authors: Jose Luis Postigo, Diederik Strubbe, Emiliano Mori, Leonardo Ancillotto, Inês Carneiro, P. Latsoudis, Mattia Menchetti, Liviu G. Pârâu, Dave Parrott, Luís ReinoAbstract:BACKGROUND: The monk parakeet Myiopsitta monachus (Boddaert), native to South America, is an invasive species in several European countries, causing crop damage and potential negative impacts on wildlife. Only Spain and Great Britain have regulations to control monk Parakeets, thus fast growth and spread of populations are likely to occur on a wide scale. The aims of this research are to update information on the distribution and population size of monk Parakeets in Europe, assess whether differences in population growth or spread rate exist between populations, and provide recommendations to decision-makers. RESULTS: Our study estimates that there are 23 758 monk Parakeets in the wild, across 179 municipalities in eight European Union (EU) countries; 84% of these municipalities hold between 1 and 100 monk Parakeets. All countries with a representative historical record are experiencing exponential growth of monk Parakeets. Mediterranean countries are experiencing higher exponential growth, spread rate and faster colonization of new municipalities than Atlantic countries. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend that EU Mediterranean countries consider declaration of the monk parakeet as invasive alien species of regional concern, and develop coordinated efforts to monitor and manage the species, taking advantage of the low population sizes in most municipalities. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
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unrelenting spread of the alien monk parakeet myiopsitta monachus in israel is it time to sound the alarm
Pest Management Science, 2017Co-Authors: Jose Luis Postigo, Assaf Shwartz, Diederik Strubbe, Antonioroman MunozAbstract:BACKGROUND: Monk Parakeets, Myiopsitta monachus Boddaert, are native to South America but have established populations in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. They are claimed to act as agricultural pests in their native range, and their communal stick nests may damage human infrastructure. Although several monk parakeet populations are present in the Mediterranean Basin and temperate Europe, little empirical data are available on their population size and growth, distribution and potential impact. We investigated the temporal and spatial dynamics of monk Parakeets in Israel to assess their invasion success and potential impact on agriculture. RESULTS: Monk parakeet populations are growing exponentially at a higher rate than that reported elsewhere. The current Israeli population of monk Parakeets comprises approximately 1500 individuals. The distribution of the species has increased and shifted from predominantly urban areas to agricultural landscapes. CONCLUSIONS: In Israel, monk parakeet populations are growing fast and have dispersed rapidly from cities to agricultural areas. At present, reports of agricultural damage are scarce. A complete assessment of possible management strategies is urgently needed before the population becomes too large and widespread to allow for cost-effective mitigation campaigns to be implemented. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Unrelenting spread of the alien monk parakeet Myiopsitta monachus in Israel. Is it time to sound the alarm
Pest management science, 2016Co-Authors: Jose Luis Postigo, Assaf Shwartz, Diederik Strubbe, Antonioroman MunozAbstract:Monk Parakeets, Myiopsitta monachus Boddaert, are native to South America but have established populations in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. They are claimed to act as agricultural pests in their native range, and their communal stick nests may damage human infrastructure. Although several monk parakeet populations are present in the Mediterranean Basin and temperate Europe, little empirical data are available on their population size and growth, distribution and potential impact. We investigated the temporal and spatial dynamics of monk Parakeets in Israel to assess their invasion success and potential impact on agriculture. Monk parakeet populations are growing exponentially at a higher rate than that reported elsewhere. The current Israeli population of monk Parakeets comprises approximately 1500 individuals. The distribution of the species has increased and shifted from predominantly urban areas to agricultural landscapes. In Israel, monk parakeet populations are growing fast and have dispersed rapidly from cities to agricultural areas. At present, reports of agricultural damage are scarce. A complete assessment of possible management strategies is urgently needed before the population becomes too large and widespread to allow for cost-effective mitigation campaigns to be implemented. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
Emiliano Mori - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Mediterranean versus Atlantic monk Parakeets Myiopsitta monachus: towards differentiated management at the European scale.
Pest Management Science, 2019Co-Authors: Jose Luis Postigo, Diederik Strubbe, Emiliano Mori, Leonardo Ancillotto, Inês Carneiro, P. Latsoudis, Mattia Menchetti, Liviu G. Pârâu, Dave Parrott, Luís ReinoAbstract:BACKGROUND: The monk parakeet Myiopsitta monachus (Boddaert), native to South America, is an invasive species in several European countries, causing crop damage and potential negative impacts on wildlife. Only Spain and Great Britain have regulations to control monk Parakeets, thus fast growth and spread of populations are likely to occur on a wide scale. The aims of this research are to update information on the distribution and population size of monk Parakeets in Europe, assess whether differences in population growth or spread rate exist between populations, and provide recommendations to decision-makers. RESULTS: Our study estimates that there are 23 758 monk Parakeets in the wild, across 179 municipalities in eight European Union (EU) countries; 84% of these municipalities hold between 1 and 100 monk Parakeets. All countries with a representative historical record are experiencing exponential growth of monk Parakeets. Mediterranean countries are experiencing higher exponential growth, spread rate and faster colonization of new municipalities than Atlantic countries. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend that EU Mediterranean countries consider declaration of the monk parakeet as invasive alien species of regional concern, and develop coordinated efforts to monitor and manage the species, taking advantage of the low population sizes in most municipalities. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Vertical segregation by breeding ring-necked Parakeets Psittacula krameri in northern Italy
Urban Ecosystems, 2018Co-Authors: Gioele Grandi, Mattia Menchetti, Emiliano MoriAbstract:Cavities represent a limiting resource for breeding birds, thus triggering potential competition, mostly in urban ecosystems. The ring-necked parakeet Psittacula krameri is one of the main alien invasive bird species of the world. Introduced populations are reported for over 35 countries, Italy included. This parakeet mainly depends on trunk cavities for reproduction but, occasionally, it may nest within building holes. A growing population of this species is present in the urban area of Pavia (northern Italy). Differently, from what has been observed in other colonies of the global introduced range, most of this urban population nests within the putlog holes of the Visconti castle and surrounding towers, together with four native species. In this work, we counted the breeding pairs of ring-necked Parakeets nesting within putlog holes of castle and tower walls and estimated the breeding population size. Observations were carried out once a week, 30 min before sunset, for an hour, from the start of April to the end of August 2016 and 2017. We assessed whether a vertical segregation occurred between Parakeets and native species (i.e. the rock pigeon, the jackdaw, the Italian sparrow and the common swift) through a dissimilarity index. Inter-specific interactions have never been observed, despite two pigeon ticks being detected on rescued Parakeets. A strong vertical segregation was observed between ring-necked Parakeets and pigeons, and between ring-necked Parakeets and common swifts. Ring-necked Parakeets and jackdaws were mostly observed in the highest putlog holes. No breeding parakeet pair was observed within plain trunk cavities in the surroundings of the castle walls, which were instead occupied by jackdaws and tawny owls. Most parakeet nests were located on the eastern wall, where they receive the first light at dawn.
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Reproductive timing as a constraint on invasion success in the Ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
Biological Invasions, 2017Co-Authors: Álvaro Luna, Assaf Shwartz, Diederik Strubbe, Emiliano Mori, Dailos Hernández-brito, Michael P. Braun, Detlev Franz, Yariv Malihi, Asaf Kaplan, Mattia MenchettiAbstract:Climate similarity favors biological invasion, but a match between seasonality in the novel range and the timing of life cycle events of the invader also influences the outcome of species introduction. Yet, phenology effects on invasion success have generally been neglected. Here we study whether a phenological mismatch limits the non-native range of a globally successful invader, the Ring-necked parakeet, in Europe. Given the latitudes at which Parakeets have established across Europe, they breed earlier than expected based on breeding dates from the native Asian range. Moreover, comparing the breeding dates of European populations to those of Parakeets in the native Asian range, to five native breeding bird species in Europe and to the start of the growing season of four native European trees shows that the discrepancy between expected and actual breeding phenology is greater in northern Europe. In northern European populations, this temporal mismatch appears to have negative effects on hatching success, and on population growth rates in years that are colder than average in the first six months. Phenological mismatch also can explain why Parakeets from African populations (that are more likely to breed in autumn) have been poor invaders compared to Parakeets from Asia. These lines of evidence support the hypothesis that the reproductive phenology of the Ring-necked parakeet can be a limiting factor for establishment and range expansion in colder climates. Our results provide growing support for the hypothesis that the match between climate seasonality and timing of reproduction (or other important life cycle events) can affect the establishment success, invasive potential and distribution range of introduced non-native species, beyond the mere effect of climate similarity.
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‘The early bird catches the nest’: possible competition between scops owls and ring-necked Parakeets
Animal Conservation, 2017Co-Authors: Emiliano Mori, Leonardo Ancillotto, Mattia Menchetti, Diederik StrubbeAbstract:Competition for critical resources is one of the key mechanisms through which invasive species impact on native communities. Among birds, the widely introduced ring-necked parakeet Psittacula krameri locally affects cavity-nesting communities through competition for suitable tree cavities, although it remains unclear to what extent such competition translates into population declines of native species. Here, we studied the potential for nest site competition between ring-necked Parakeets and the native scops owl Otus scops, a small nocturnal migratory raptor, by comparing the spatial distribution of the nest site locations of the raptor before (2002) and after (2015) the parakeet invasion. Pre-invasion nesting sites of scops owls (2002) strongly coincided with those selected by ring-necked Parakeets, but although both parakeet and scops owl populations increased during the study period, this was no longer true for 2015. Ring-necked Parakeets took over several cavities formerly occupied by scops owls, and land-use data suggest that because of the higher overall breeding densities in 2015, scops owls were forced to occupy suboptimal breeding habitats to minimize nest site competition with invasive Parakeets. Ring-necked Parakeets start breeding early in the season, a behaviour enabling them to secure the best nest sites first, before the owls return from their wintering grounds. Our study highlights that locally observed competition not necessarily impacts on population dynamics of competing species and thus warns against uncritical extrapolation of smaller scale studies for assessing invasive species risks at larger spatial scales. Nonetheless, given the increasing number of studies demonstrating its competitive capacities, monitoring of ring-necked parakeet populations is prudent and mitigation measures (such as mounting of man-made nest-boxes, which are used by scops owls, but not by Parakeets) may be justified when the Parakeets are likely to invade areas harbouring cavity-nesters of conservation concern.
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Effects of the Recent World Invasion by Ring-Necked Parakeets Psittacula krameri
Problematic Wildlife, 2015Co-Authors: Mattia Menchetti, Emiliano Mori, Francesco Maria AngeliciAbstract:Over 60 out of 355 currently living parrot species have established at least one breeding population outside their natural distribution ranges. Among those, the ring-necked parakeet is one of the most successful invaders. This species is a gregarious Afro-Asian parakeet with an extremely large distribution range, recorded in over 35 countries outside its native extent of occurrence. Despite being one of the most introduced bird species throughout the world, its interactions with native biodiversity and environment are not completely known and rely mainly on anecdotal evidence. Future researchers are therefore required to fill these gaps. Trunk cavities represent the preferred breeding sites of these alien parrots and indicate potential routes of direct and indirect competition with native hole-nesting bird species, such as nuthatches and starlings. Interactions with tree squirrels, bats and insects are rarely reported but may be more severe than currently known. Droppings by ring-necked Parakeets may alter the herbaceous vegetation under the roost but direct cause–effect relationships for this phenomenon are hard to assess if no data about floral composition before the time of invasion is available. Ring-necked Parakeets may have economic impacts, being responsible for crop damage, as well as societal impacts; three bird strikes with airplanes involved this species in England. The ring-necked parakeet is a potential reservoir of a plethora of diseases transmittable to humans and wildlife. No data concerning ecosystem recovery after the removal of ring-necked Parakeets is available, as eradication and numerical control programmes are often hampered by the emotional affiliation which links humans to these bright birds.
