Authorities and organizations all around the world are fighting against the feeding of water birds.
In the past years, people have started paying more attention to their environment and to providing undisturbed living conditions for animals and birds. We feed them, give them water and, if necessary, we save them. However, despite all the good intentions, there are situations when we may cause more harm than good. For example, water birds actually don’t need feeding.
It is good to know that the lifestyle and the survival habits of songbirds are different from those of water birds. In the case of the former, it is important to feed them when necessary, whereas water birds shouldn’t be fed at all.
Why shouldn’t we feed water birds?
- Bread and other nutrition poor food makes birds sick
- If food is always available, the migrating instinct of water birds, indispensable for surviving the winter, is cancelled.
- Feeding water birds makes their habitat overcrowded, and increases aggression among the birds and the danger of injuries.
- Feeding attracts water birds to areas where self-sustaining survival is not possible.
- Feeding promotes the spreading of infectious diseases, out of which avian flu is extremely dangerous for people as well.
- Feeding pollutes the environment, introduces more organic or material to waters, and bodies of water turn into marshes.
- Feeding causes hybridizing among various species, as close proximity encourages cross-breeding.
- Conflict situations may occur between people and birds.
- Direct physical contact is dangerous for people as well.
We should all respect the lifestyle of water birds and never feed them anywhere, with anything.