Now Town Hall bosses in the city of Fuengirola, 25 miles along the coast from Malaga, are increasing efforts to control the bird population after putting out a two-year tender to hire a team to catch, and destroy, the birds.
The birds, also known for their loud shrieks, are also causing hygiene and health issues, say community leaders, who receive nuisance complaints from residents over the birds’ behaviour.
Town Hall bosses in Fuengirola have ordered a cull of the green monk parakeets from parks and green spaces.
The species, also known as the quaker parrot, originate from South America’s subtropical climates, including Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia, where they are considered a pest by farmers and often hunted,.
The species of parrot was first spotted in the wild in Barcelona and Murcia in the late 1970s, before its population quickly spread across the region, including in popular holiday resorts such as Malaga and Marbella.
