Parrot?

[testka]

While inspecting one of our hives - in sunny East London - we came across this bird in a tree. Seems a bit exotic for London. Any ideas what it is?

 

[Queens59]

Something crossed with a pigeon?? I am ducking to prepare for the bricks thrown my way...

 

[MuswellMetro]

could be a young Rose ring parakeet but thats a guess as only the colour of the breast and eyes are the same , or is it a parakeet crossed with some other bird like a pigeon

http://www.londonrevolution.net/blog/london-history-information/parakeets-on-hampstead-heath.html

 

[testka]

Seems a lot bigger then a parakeet. Also the underside of its wings are a bright red colour.

 

[pargyle]

"Alexandrine Parakeets

These are much less frequently encountered in England, although some sightings may have been lost because it is easy to confuse identification with the more common Ring-Necked. Flocks of Ring-Necked parakeets sometimes comprise an Alexandrine too. Alexandrines are essentially natives of India but stretch in a band from Afghanistan through to Indochina.

Male/Female and adult/juvenile variations as well as mutations and perhaps the effect of differing diets all serve to confuse identification but the Alexandrine is, at 60cm a significantly bigger bird than the 42cm Ring-Necked. In addition, the Alexandrine has a bigger bill with both upper and lower halves coloured red. Alexandrines have a red shoulder patch which the Ring-Necked parakeets do not - but in the field you may not be able to see this."

Possibly - they have been known to interbreed with other parakeets and the one you have spotted may well be a hybrid ...

 

[MuswellMetro]

The beek is not like a parakeet though, it is more pigeon like but red

 

[pargyle]

The beek is not like a parakeet though, it is more pigeon like but red

Yes ... I think it's a cross breed ... it happens. The Indian Ring Necked parrots come in all sorts of flavours and are very common in East London.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...&hl=en&ei=_j70UdepAcuT0AWNu4GIAw&ved=0CAUQsCU

Monk parakeets have smaller beeks and can come in shades of grey and blue as well.

 

[Paulf]

It's a turaco

 

[testka]

ah just checked on Wiki. Does indeed look like the White-Cheeked Turaco

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-cheeked_Turaco

wonder how it got to London, stowaway or escapee possibly. Hope it survives, really beautiful bird.

 

[madasafish]

Who cares what it is.
Can you eat it?

 

[Beauhawk]

Who cares what it is.
Can you eat it?

 

[sail819]

could the the feathers be any good as a bee brush?

 

[johnnythefridge]

Who cares what it is.
Can you eat it?

Depends on how good your aim is.