The Spanish city loved by Brits that is launching a £66k war on parakeets | Travel News | Travel

The Costa del Sol is facing an issue with a fast-growing population of parakeets.

This problem has been ongoing since the 1970s and 1980s with officials keen to do something about it. 

A one-year contract was signed by Fuengirola’s town hall to tackle the problem of the growing population of parakeets. However, this is due to expire in March.

Authorities are putting it out to tender once again, with a budget of €‎79,408 (£66,265).

The issue first began when owners of these birds started to release them at the same time as other specimens escaped and settled in parks and wooded areas in the area, reports say.

Due to this, parakeets began to reproduce and in a short period of time the population expanded quickly.

Officials say there is a “worrying trend” in terms of the population growth, which is harming the native population of parakeets in the area.

“The current contract for the bird population control service expires on 25 March. Therefore, there is a need to ensure the continuity of the contracted service, as the parakeet has become a problem for the conservation of biodiversity in the parks and green areas of Fuengirola and a risk due to the danger of falling nests and branches of the trees that house them,” explained a document issued by the town hall.

“Their easy adaptation to the different habitats they colonise and their high reproductive success rate mean that the population is growing every year. 

“In view of this upward trend and the constant complaints from neighbours who suffer the nuisance caused by the birds’ behaviour, it is necessary for the Fuengirola town hall to take action, in accordance with current legislation,” states the document.

Parakeets will be captured with some sources claiming this will be done with cages and not with aggressive systems such as shooting the birds with pellets.

The birds are generally regarded as the smallest of all parrot species and are usually found kept as pets.

They are some of the most popular pet birds, not only because they are affordable but also because they are friendly and easy to tame.

Parakeets can be taught to mimic human speech, though they are more difficult to understand than other parrots.