RSPB to question government department over monk parakeet 'cull' in Borehamwood

Monk Parakeet Photo: Thomas QuineTHE Government's environmental body has stepped up its efforts to eradicate a feral population of monk parakeets in Borehamwood this week.

Work has centred on a home in Mildred Avenue, near to the backgarden of a house in Furzhill Road, where it is thought a number of the South American birds escaped from an aviary in the 1990s.

A resident, who did not wish to be named, said officers from The Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) were going hell-for-leather as they brought in cherry pickers and chainsaws to continue their work.

Sightings of mysterious white sacks being removed has alarmed some people, following the revelation that four birds have so far been killed.

Many homeowners feel the apparent change in tactics is a betrayal of promises made by officers on their doorsteps, who assured them birds would be trapped and re-homed.

A letter sent to a resident from the director of operations at FERA, Mike Wray, states: “I should clarify that this is not a trapping and re-homing project.

“The aim is to eradicate the feral population of monk parakeets by the most humane method appropriate to individual situations.”

The Borehamwood & Elstree Times asked Graham Madge, of The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), if the charity could continue to support the programme, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), following this statement.

He said: “Operationally we're not involved, this is a matter for DEFRA. We've given our blessing for the project to proceed, but it was on the understanding that birds would only be culled as a last resort.

“What you are telling me is different from what we were told and I think we need to have a chat with DEFRA until we can comment further - to see if there has been a difference in understanding of how the project would develop.

“DEFRA had recognised the potential threat and that is something we are not going to argue with. The control measure that they brought in suggested to bring the birds in and rehouse them, but that wasn't a stipulation of giving our permission.

“We may well have given our permission if they said the only way to do this is lethal control because of the potential threat. Our position may not have changed.

“I don't think we've been duped as such, I think we are disappointed if we have been told one thing and another happens, but that is for DEFRA to answer why they are not abiding by the commitment they gave to the public and to the RSPB.

“We will undoubtedly have a word with them and find out why they weren't able to carry out the program as we'd been told. I think we have a situation where we are talking about four birds out of 150 and I'm not sure what has happened to the other 146. Perhaps we should find out more information on those before we start assuming that DEFRA are going to start controlling all of them.”

The Borehamwood & Elstree Times has tried to contact Mike Wray at FERA, but has so far been unsuccessful.

However, a DEFRA spokesperson assured: "Where possible the control measures will mean trapping the birds and rehousing them safely, or moving their nests. Only if these measures are unsuccessful or not appropriate will a culling of some Monk Parakeets be considered."

A petition has been set up calling on the government agency to stop the eradication programme, it is available to sign here.