A local conservation group is pushing for legislation to study and control wild parakeets on Kauai.
The Rose-ringed parakeet is believed to have been introduced to the island during the 1960s.
In recent decades, its population has grown exponentially raising health, agriculture and conservation concerns.
It's believed the parakeets pose a threat to Kauai's agricultural future by eating crops. And it's believed they will also strip the seeds of endangered native plants.
The birds are also known to be carriers of avian malaria, which is deadly for native bird species.
Bill Lucey is a Project Manager with the Kauai Invasive Species Committee.
He says that there is not a lot of hard evidence about the birds impact on native plants and animals and a study is needed.
Lucey says Kauai’s parakeet problem reflects a larger statewide issue with invasive species.
