h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Ring-Necked Parakeet - Psittacula krameri - A13980008
Author: Mazin' MadFiddler - Keeper of Ferrets and Muscalids. Assisting with the Autumn London Meet at A13222847. - U236774

This is, I think, an overdue entry about a non-native species becoming the norm in the UK. It demonstrates how quickly an exotic can spread if not controlled. I was fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to have seen these Birds just pre the '70's in Thanet, and have now seen how they have migrated. It is particularly pertinent with today's concerns over the Environment. It has inspired me to look for additional entries to be written about non-native species in the UK and their History.Thanks.

Hi Mazin'
Would you like to link to a picture of the bird?
http://www.parrotclub.sk/part/org/Psittacula_krameri.jpg

Thanks GB.

I'd tried to get a photo myself, in my Dad's back garden, only to find he has spent the last year trying to do the same thing. I've also tried in my sister's garden as well as here at Kew, but they too easily.

I'll add that link though, if I can work out how to do it.



BTW, if you see aany errors I've made, I'd appreciate it, as it;s my first entry in GuideML, and I'm not sure it is right.

again.

I've added it as a but cannot make it a live ing. Any ideas as to what I am doing wrong?

Link it like this:

Psittacula krameri

Just cut and paste.
You still need spaces between your Bogart link and the following word, same with the Jimi Hendrix link

Oh, and you've got the Sussex link twice:

Sussex, SussexSurrey

delete the second Sussex

Ladies

Both now done, and a footnote added for the photo indicating it is a Female.



That is two things I've learnt today, thanks to you both.

Neal, you have the Psittacula... twice:
Psittacula krameri Psittacula krameri

Remove the Psittacula krameri before the <LINK HREF...

Thank you. You know how certain ings disappear on the Mac B'Elana, and I'd rather not change from Brunel. The other skins don't feel comfortable on my

All links vanish, and only appear in yellow when the cursor is over them.



It doesn't make it easy...

Yes, I forgot about that.
I see you've deleted the first Sussex link, so now, you'll have to go and add the comma and the space again, as it is now, it's SussexSurrey - if you see what I mean.

great entry
up where I live (cumbria) there are some semi-wild Macaws that are, shall we say, a bit annoying.

SP

The abherrant comma has been added

Any idea what Macaws they are SP? And are they breeding? as the major point about the Parakeets are that they are an expanding species and fimly established.

It is believed little except for a major dose of Avian (or bird) flu, or extermination by Man will cause their demise. They appear here to stay, much like Collared Doves, Grey Squirrel, Pheasants, Horse Chestnuts and Sycamore to name but a few.

These are all EG's on the Back Burner, as this one has made me want to sit down and write the definitive Guide Entries on Non-Native species in the UK, which may surprise many HooTooers on what are and aren't native. Some are well known but others are less so.

Could you capitalise the beginning paragraph, please?

'The birds live for 30 years' - I think this would be better if it was something like 'The birds can live up to 30 years'.

I also see some unnessecery capitalisation - Owls, Dead Parrot, Gauno etc...

Good entry, though.

Hi MMF,

I agree this is long overdue for a guide entry. It's really whetted my appetite for reading about other non-native species.

I think you've got all the information in here, but it might grab the reader a little more if you opened the piece with the fascinating story about how they came to become established in the UK.

e.g. In a storm in 1987 a tree fell on an aviary...released parrots...began to breed... became established...environmental effects.

and then go on to describe the species. What do you think?


One further thing - do you know how many parrots escaped originally - even an estimate? It's just that you go on to say 'a small number escaped from Shepperton' - smaller than what?

Look forward to seeing this in the EG!

Icy

Hi Icy,

thanks for the feedback.

Re:

>>but it might grab the reader a little more if you opened the piece with the fascinating story about how they came to become established in the UK.<<

The reason I didn't do this is that normally, in Field Guides, the description of the birds is the critical factor. This is why I have written the entry in the order I have, although I am more than happy to amend it if that is the preferred method for the guide.

There is, unfortunately, no definitive information on the escapees. This, I understand, is because they were not expected to survive. Much like budgerigars, they were not expected to survive either our winters or our pets.

Due to the ambiguity of where the colonies possibly started, (and they may all be the correct answer), I've been unable to find this information. This is why it is a 'small number' but non-specific. Best I could find.

Odd, but there's actually a specie like that in NY. They were released after a scientic experiment at a local college, and they took to the environment extremely well. Certain areas are covered in their nests. Also green parakeet-like thingies. One wnders.

Well, there is no preferred method, so long as your piece is within the Writing Guidelines, which it clearly is. It's your call entirely - if you prefer the field guide style then leave it as it is! The mix of styles helps to make h2g2 what it is.

Thanks Icy. Being fairly new ( at guide entries, I do like to get it right.

I shall use that format for the next non-native bird to be ed.

Wonderful MMF - loved it to bits as they say. I have to disagree with WB over capitalisation though, as I believe 'Owls' deserves one.

Amazingly (pardon the pun) if you are having difficulty in embedding the photo link, there is a beautiful picture of a Ring-Necked Parakeet in a Birding mag to which I subscribe. If all else fails, I could scan it and e-mail it to you.

Scorp

Thanks Scorp. Much appreciated. I must admit that I would have thought Owls, being Species specific, should be capitalised much like Human, as in Human being, as opposed to human, as in charicteristics.

Pedantic maybe?

And thanks for the photo offer. It is possible that, if it gets picked, the picture may get moved by the Editors. I'll wait and see.

Thanks for the support. Onto the next one now.