Non-Native Bird Species

This week, on Radio 4, there is a series of programmes on foreign birds - The Alien Birds Have Landed - transmitted at 1.45pm on BBC Radio 4.

The Daily Telegraph's Radio reviewer, Gillian Reynolds, describes the first programme, with its emphasis on the Common Pheasant "The common pheasant is native to Asia but has been introduced all around the world because it adapts easily to new surroundings, breeds well and tastes good. Maybe the Romans brought them to Britain. Alison Steadman narrates this engaging series, on FM. Tomorrow, the ruddy duck and Canada goose."

The Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) is discussed here.

The second programme focuses on both the Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) and the Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) and the details of the programme are here. Both of these species have come from the Americas, yet one is loved and one is persecuted.

The third discusses both the large and small of the owl family - the Eagle Owl (Bubo family) and the Little Owl (Athene noctua) and the radio programme is found here.

The fourth discusses the Rose-Ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri), I have heard these in Sevenoaks, the programme is found here.

The fifth, and final programme, describes why the Starling (Sturnidae family) is hated in North America and the Blackbird (Turdus merula) is equally hated in New Zealand.

Where do you draw the line on non-native bird species - here are a few articles on non native species from About.com, IBIS (the International Journal of Avian Science) and  the R.S.P.B.. I am sure we will come back to this topic.