Only one thing about this story is certain:
There are parakeets thriving in the city of Brussels
Some people say they were released by a theme park manager in 1975, others that they only appeared in 1987. They’re either monk parakeets or rose-ringed parakeets – I can’t find a source online that agrees.
My favourite version of the origins of these birds in Brussels is that there was a man protesting about how grey and sombre a city Brussels is. It’s known for its business and politics rather than its art and street performance, after all. So the man, wanting to brighten everything up, released 10 pairs of parakeets into the city, and they’re now thriving to the point that they’re driving out the native birds. There’s now upwards of 10,000 parakeets screaming around the city. Isn’t that great?!
I was told that story over breakfast this morning, and it’s the one that I’m now deciding to be true, because it’s the most poetic one.
The world should be a beautiful place, shouldn’t it?
DRINK TEA WRITE WORDS 
We have them in London too; IIRC, people tell similar stories of their origins.
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A comment! On my blog! I get so happy 🙂
You do? I’ve never seen parakeets in London?
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They seem to keep to part of the south west or south east. Every so often the local TV stations run an item on them. I’ve never seen one in the flesh.
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