Why Experts Advise Against Feeding Birds?

Seeing beautiful wild birds explore your property and backyard is one of the glories of nature that many people enjoy. In the Niagara area, there are many colourful wild birds that you could see visiting your yard, such as orioles, cardinals, robins, blue jays, and woodpeckers. Some property owners like to set out bird food to attract these creatures to their yards.  Unfortunately, feeding wild birds is not always a good idea. According to experts, providing food for wild animals, including birds, may be more harmful than helpful. At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, our team has seen some of the potential problems, such as a need for bird control in Niagara due to overpopulation from human feeding. 

Harmful to a Bird's Health

Wildlife experts warn bird enthusiasts that feeding them can be harmful to a bird's health. Most of the foods that people feed birds, such as bread, corn, donuts or chips are not nutritious for the animals. Birds that regularly get meals from human feeders may overindulge and pack on extra weight. Baby and younger birds that get constant access to human-provided meals may not learn how to forage for themselves in wild, leaving them vulnerable to starvation if the human food source ends.  Hand-feeding birds are even more problematic. Teaching birds to take food from a human's fingers also teach them to not naturally fear humans. Wild animals that have no fear of people and associate them with food are more likely to become a nuisance and require some sort of intervention in the future when they keep coming back to homes and other populated areas looking for a meal.

Potential for Over Population

Overfeeding birds may also cause the neighbourhood avian population to explode. With a plentiful supply of food, birds will naturally reproduce more, causing their numbers to rise. Too many birds in a particular area can lead to an excessive amount of toxic bird waste, which may increase pollution problems in rivers, streams and other waterways. If an area has large numbers of birds, they may also be much more territorial and likely to fight with each other due to a lack of living space. Leftover birdseed from feeders and other food that people give to birds may also have another unpleasant side effect, an explosion of the rodent and insect population. Rodents, like mice and rats, also will eat the foods people give to birds, giving them an easy way to survive and reproduce. Property owners who supply bird food in their yards may also be inadvertently feeding a thriving rodent and bug population. 

Habitat and Ecological Disruption  

Feeding wild birds may also lead to a disruption in the ecological system and habitats that support these animals. Birds may start nesting only in spots that have heavy human feeding behaviour or bird feeders in the backyards, avoiding their typical habitat areas. As more birds flock to high-feeding areas, some parts of the natural landscape may be ignored and suffer from ecological effects. Regions that have too many birds concentrated in one area may also experience problems, such as a loss of vegetation and rising amounts of bird fecal matter getting into the groundwater and creating a mess.

Get Help With Bird Control in Niagara

If you love birds and want to support them, it may be best to let them find their own food in the wild instead of providing it for them. Planting native plants and trees that produce seeds and nuts that birds love may be a better option to attract wild birds to your yard instead of a dedicated feeder. When there is an issue with bird control in Niagara or questions about how to support these creatures, turn to the knowledgeable experts at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control.  Are flocks of birds taking over your yard or getting into parts of your home, such as the attic or roof? Contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control to get some assistance. We offer bird control services for property owners.