Wild parakeets living in Britain to be shot before they become a nuisance

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8471075/Wild-parakeets-living-in-Britain-to-be-shot-before-they-become-a-nuisance.html

Summary

Monk parakeets are becoming a serious problem in the UK. Their rapidly growing numbers could pose a threat to both people and native bird species. They can damage agriculture because of their preference for fruit as food, and their very large nests are troublesome for people. Besides, they can drive out other birds that need the same resources to survive. Parakeets are being trapped, re-homed and their nests destroyed. When necessary, they are also being shot. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds agrees that the situation must be controlled before it is too late, but does not commend the shooting of birds, especially when the numbers are still relatively small.

Comment

I agree that birds should not be shot simply because they have the possibility of becoming a threat. The first thing I thought upon reading this article was “But humans are the most destructive creatures of them all and you do not see birds shooting us for that”. I know that is not a particularly rational or fair comparison, yet I do not see why shooting them is at all necessary. They are now talking about 150 parakeets, a number they should be able to re-home without resorting to (the much easier) use of bullets. It is not the parakeets’ fault that they ended up in the Home Counties.