The potential damage they might cause could be said to be proportionally minimal. That said, there are anecdotal reports of the parakeets fighting for nesting holes with common native birds, and we could speculate that they might compete with local cavity nesters like the common hill myna and long-tailed parakeet.
It is at present premature to classify them as an invasive species from a biological perspective.
SPORADIC CULLING MAY NOT BE A LONG-TERM SOLUTION
Some may argue that the red-breasted parakeet’s raucous nature constitutes noise pollution, which could justify classifying them as invasives. We then segue into the topic of population control.
The efficacy of culling measures is surely worth evaluating and the non-native house crow is a good example to look at. In Singapore, house crows have been treated as pests due to the disturbances they pose.
Local culling efforts have resulted in a reduction of their numbers compared to two decades ago. While this might suggest that the solution is effective, the reality is that even if all house crows in Singapore were eliminated, it would just be a matter of time before they recolonise the nation from Johor.
This same logic can be extended to the red-breasted parakeets: Getting rid of the birds in Choa Chu Kang or elsewhere might work as a short-term solution, but the bird population could easily recover given their ability to rapidly reproduce and disperse.
The same problems can recur so long as the root issue of human-wildlife conflict remains unresolved, whether the “problematic” animals in question are birds, monitor lizards or otters.
.jpg?itok=MI4IcWcU)