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Jimi Hendrix cleared of blame for UK parakeet release

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DaleCooper

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At last, justice for Jimi.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-50755015

The rumour parakeets arrived in the UK when rock star Jimi Hendrix released a pair in London's Carnaby Street in the swinging 60s has finally been scotched.

They also didn't escape across the country during the wrap party for the movie The African Queen, in 1951.

In fact, reported sightings from the 1860s have been uncovered, Goldsmiths and Queen Mary universities say.

Intentional releases may have also been encouraged in 1929-1931 and 1952 when fatal "parrot fever" hit the headlines.

The bright green non-native ring-necked parakeets now thrive across the UK.

I think this is appropriate:

 
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sprunt

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Blame? No blame required, I'm always delighted to see them brightening up the place. A couple of weeks ago there were parakeets in the trees above where I was watching kingfishers on the River Pool, and all the colour made it seem more like I was in the tropics than Sydenham.
 

CarltonA

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The UK parakeet population was never going to be the result of a single pair released by the late Jimi as the inbreeding would likely have given them serious genetic problems. I expect various releases over the years have created a stable population. The birds, being native to the Himalayan foothills, are more than hardy enough to flourish in the UK and defend themselves against attacks from european birds.
 

nlogax

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Blame? No blame required, I'm always delighted to see them brightening up the place. A couple of weeks ago there were parakeets in the trees above where I was watching kingfishers on the River Pool, and all the colour made it seem more like I was in the tropics than Sydenham.

Indeed. They make a welcome change from the brown or grey wildlife that we usually see and they’re a smile-inducing sight and sound. Shut your eyes on a warm mid summer’s evening while there are parakeets roaming the skies above and you are instantly transported to..well..anywhere that isn’t the UK!
 

Busaholic

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For those with a knowledge of '60s pop music, Bobby Darin might have been considered a more likely person to pin the blame on than Jimi. I am a proud macaw owner, by the way, one who has recently left his teen age years behind (the macaw, not me.) :lol:
 

DaleCooper

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For those with a knowledge of '60s pop music, Bobby Darin might have been considered a more likely person to pin the blame on than Jimi. I am a proud macaw owner, by the way, one who has recently left his teen age years behind (the macaw, not me.) :lol:

His parakeets never reached this country, they were Beyond the Sea.
 

Busaholic

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His parakeets never reached this country, they were Beyond the Sea.
But ''parakeets, inbetween tweets., sometimes get too quiet,
but have no fear, 'cause soon you'll hear, a parakeet's riot, just try it''
 
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