A PARAKEET population could be hiding somewhere in the Boston area as rumours persist that the colourful Asian birds could be moving north from colonies near the capital.

RSPB nature reserve site manager, John Badley, said he had heard renewed reports of possible parakeet sightings in Lincolnshire recently.

He added: "Certainly there are records of them. They've been seen in the Boston area and near Lincoln.

"But it's an unusual bird in Lincolnshire. I've worked here for ten years and am a keen birdwatcher but I've never actually seen one.

"They could be anywhere. They're just as likely to turn up in someone's back garden as they are at a nature reserve because they will feed off bird tables and apple trees."

Ring-necked parakeets – also known as rose-ringed parakeets – have established two main colonies in Britain with the largest based around south London, where they can be regularly seen in places like Battersea Park.

Elsewhere, smaller feral populations have occasionally appeared as far north as Manchester.

But the green feathered species have recently hit the headlines after they were moved to the "general licence" – allowing beleaguered residents to kill them, so long as they have just reason, without having to apply for special permission.

But Mr Badley said that if the birds do move here it is unlikely that conservation problems would arise for decades.

He said: "Lincolnshire is a great county for a lot of birds. It had the highest number of house sparrows in 2003 and there's probably more barn owls than any other county."