You’re only here for the parrots, fans chant as birds swarm Leyton Orient pitch
A flock of 50 parakeets flew around the East London stadium on Saturday afternoon for around 10 minutes.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Chants of “you’re only here for the parrots” rang around an east London football stadium on Saturday after the arrival of an unlikely set of pitch invaders – a flock of parakeets.
Around 50 of the bright green tropical birds flew around Leyton Orient’s Breyer Group Stadium for around 10 minutes as the EFL League Two leaders faced Doncaster.
“We see them at the ground every now and then but not usually this many or for so long,” Orient fan Hannah Ramsey, from Hackney, told the PA news agency.
“One of them even in sat in the penalty area for a while.
“Theo Archibald scored a worldie a few minutes before – I think they must have heard how good it was and flown over.”
The Os won the game 1-0 thanks to a dipping 25-yard volley by winger Archibald in the 68th minute.
The population of parakeets in the UK has grown since 1969 when they started breeding in Kent, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) – with the greatest numbers now found in Greater London.
It has often been supposed that parakeets were introduced to the UK by legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix, or during the filming of a Humphrey Bogart film, but scientists claimed to debunk these theories in a 2019 study – after mapping half a century of sightings of the species rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri).
After the flock’s appearance on Saturday, Orient tweeted: “‘You’re only here for the parrots’, rings out, as today’s attendance is announced 7402, 384 travelling fans, and 50 parakeets.”
Another Orient fan, Twitter user @nedoconnor, told PA: “It was completely surreal and they appeared to fly in a swarm from nowhere.
“I’ll take it as an omen: Orient are going up!”
The victory means Orient are five points clear at the top of the EFL League Two table, having played a game more than second-placed Stevenage.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.