PARROT FASHION



While walking along the Thames Path from Hampton Court to Kingston this weekend (a note to tourists -- this is one of the best walks in the capital, and it's great to catch a boat back to Hampton) I spotted a small green parrot sitting in a tree on the riverbank.

A parrot -- in west London?

Actually, I've seen these birds in various places recently -- including Richmond Park and at Aileen's parents near Leatherhead -- so I decided to do some research.

Articles here and here explain how these green feathered friends got here.

According to which urban myth you listen to, the parrots escaped from Shepperton Studios during the film of The African Queen or else arrived as stowaways in a cargo container at Heathrow Aiport.

But ornithologists believe these theories are far-fetched.

The parrots were most likely deliberately released from homes and pet stores and, once free, began breeding.