Feeding birds - was Re: [canberrabirds] Channel-billed Cuckoos

["Paul T." <>]

At 08:26 PM 27/12/2007, you wrote:
> Hi!
>   I've had a C-B Cuckoos hanging in and around the Kings Point
> (Ulladulla) area since early spring. What I would like to know is, do
> they actively prey on adult birds such as parrots up to Rosella
> size?.  The reason I ask the question is this.   I often
> put a handfull of seed out on the balcony to attract the lorikeets and
> parrots, and I do realise that I'm naughty and that thousands of these
> birds will die of starvation when the've lost the skill of foraging for
> themselves through my action of feeding them and that I should be
> horse-whipped, but my excuse is that I'm selfish and do'nt care. 
> The only 

Bob,

I read somewhere within the last couple of months that this is actually a
fallacy and that even when food is provided by people it still only ends
up as something like 15% of their actual food intake.  Would love to
have this confirmed or denied by someone in the know?  Apparently
(according to whatever I read) feeding birds won't cause them to lose
their foraging skills and is no great danger, provided of course that the
correct food is placed out and not just stuff like bread etc.  Can
anyone confirm this?  I don't think the article was on this
list?

Cheers.

Paul T.
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