Viral photo shows has incredible hidden secret which only Londoners know about

A photograph of a tree with an amazing hidden secret has left social media users astounded. The image, shared on Reddit, initially appears to depict a London tree adorned with vibrant green leaves.

However, upon closer inspection, an incredible secret is unveiled, one that might be familiar to many Londoners. What initially seem to be leaves are in fact dozens of small green exotic birds perched on the tree's branches.

The post identifies these birds as parakeets, small to medium-sized parrots, which are surprisingly a common sight in certain areas of London. According to Visit London, these striking green birds, recognisable by their distinctive orange beaks, were first reported in the city in the mid-1800s. However, it wasn't until the mid-1990s that they began appearing in substantial numbers.

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By 2021, their population in London alone was estimated at around 50,000, with many more scattered further afield, even as far north as Scotland, reports MyLondon.

There are several theories regarding the origin of these colourful creatures. Some suggest they can all be traced back to a pair released by iconic rock star Jimi Hendrix in the 1960s, or that they escaped from the set of the 1951 film The African Queen, filmed in Isleworth, West London.

However, according to Visit London, researchers at Queen Mary University of London have concluded the population isn't the result of a single event. Instead, various pets being released or escaping over time have gradually established a wild population.

Reddit users were astounded by the photograph, with numerous people questioning how the birds arrived in London. One quipped: "Bloody Australians on a gap year! They're either behind every bar or up every tree!"

On a more serious note, they explained: "They're all descended from a small number of pet birds that escaped decades ago. They seem to handle the cooler weather OK. I saw some up in Edinburgh earlier this year."

Another person commented: "I moved to the UK a few years ago and was very surprised one morning to see one of these outside. I figured it was someone's pet so I checked local Facebook groups etc to see if someone had recently lost a parrot... nope we just have wild parakeets here I guess."

A different Reddit user added: "They're all over London, I see them in Greater London all the time, just chilling in my garden. Also got a blackbird nest and once saw a stork just chilling on the back fence."

Another person posted: "They live all over western Europe nowadays. It's one thing I've really noticed in my lifetime, when I was a kid you never saw them, maybe one or two escapees. 20 years later they live in colonies that can number in the thousands."

Visit London reveals that wild parakeets can be spotted throughout the capital, with Kensington Gardens being a hotspot for these colourful birds. Particularly around the Peter Pan statue, these birds are accustomed to human interaction and will readily accept nuts or seeds directly from your hands. Other locations where they can be sighted include Richmond Park, Kew Gardens, Hyde Park, and Brockwell Park.

The RSPB states that there are approximately 8,600 breeding pairs in the UK, with populations primarily based in London throughout the year, as well as the broader South East region, the West Midlands, and other areas during winter. The most frequently observed breed is the ring-necked parakeet, named for the black rings that appear around their necks.

One Reddit user amusingly commented: "I like that [in] the most iconic urban city in the world, we have parakeets and foxes having gang wars during the evening."