I always wonder why putting out water for the birds is deemed OK by the
"authorities" but not food.
Can anyone explain the difference?
To me, they are both resources that are often limiting, as evidenced by
the way birds will often flock to water,
and both can affect the "subtle ecological balance", etc etc
Peter
At 05:31 PM 5/11/2004 +1100, you wrote:
While it is tempting to attract birds to our backyards by providing food
of various types there are a number of reasons for not doing so. The
problem of dependence on artificial food is only one, minor,
reason. Concentrating birds in unnatural aggregations can make them more
prone to predation, can favour large aggressive birds that dominate the
yard, can upset natural behaviour, can upset the subtle ecological balance
(which has already been disturbed by creating the garden) and can assist
with the spread of disease. On the NSW North Coast species like Noisy
Miners, Blue-faced Honeyeaters, Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets,
Australian King-Parrots, Australian Magpies, Pied and Grey Butcherbirds
and Laughing Kookaburras are birds that are frequently fed in
gardens. The large honeyeaters and lorikeets are also attracted to
gardens because of extensive plantings of 'bird attractant" grevilleas and
bottlebrush. Who are the losers? The small birds that are becoming
increasingly scarce due to habitat loss - that's who. Feeding birds in
gardens isn't the only problem. Developing gardens that attract
larger birds to the detriment of the smaller birds also plays its part.
There is a compromise. Providing clean water and a garden full of locally
occurring native trees, shrubs, vines, herbs and grasses will be a much
greater help to our birds than by artificially feeding them. Remember, if
you are feeding birds you are doing it for your benefit - not the birds.
Regards
Greg
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