Amazingly, they’re all the descendants of just 40 birds which were released into the wild in 1974, when the theme park Melipark at the Heizel was closing down to make way for what would eventually become Bruparck. They’ve now become native, but not, LMB says, to the extent of driving away truly native competitors like the nuthatch (Sitta europaea).

The parakeet’s success here, despite being an exotic species native to Asia and Africa, is down to three simple factors: enough partners, sufficient food and no real natural predators. Clearly, the original flock of 40 released birds contained enough genetic diversity to support massive growth. The bird feeds on buds, nuts, berries and seeds, and can be a scourge of farmers and fruit-growers.

In Brussels, they have formed colonies in two main spots: in Evere, in and around Nato headquarters, where they appear to have chosen a single tree on the main avenue as their toilet-tree; and in the Elisabeth Park in Koekelberg.

They do travel to forage, however, so have been sighted away from those main locations – in Josaphat Park in Schaarbeek, for instance, where, as elsewhere in the city, they profit from the residents’ steadfast ignoring of the law forbidding feeding the birds.

At present, the numbers present no threat to native species, but LMB is preparing a plan should that threshold ever be reached. Options including hunting the birds, netting them or sterilising them by leaving out drugged food.

www.leefmilieubrussel.be/biodiversiteit