The role of ill-managed bird feeders in spreading disease

["Dean Cutten" <>]

Quote:

"There is another piece of good news in the data to be presented at the
conference. Opponents of feeders claim they get birds hooked on "junk" food.
But by feeding tits food laced with a radioactive marker, then analysing
blood and claw clippings, Stuart Bearhop of the University of Exeter, UK,
and colleagues have shown that only a tiny fraction of their winter food
came from feeders.

The results are echoed in findings from Darryl Jones of Griffith University
in Nathan, Queensland, Australia, which show that Australian magpies with
easy access to feeders still fed their chicks mainly grubs and worms dug
from the ground. "Most birds still eat a largely natural diet, and the food
provided is just a snack," he says."

AusBirders,

In reference to Darryl Jones work I have observed this on many occasions
when Superb Fairywrens are feeding their young in our backyard. We have a
feeder available for them to feed from with a small amount of crushed plain
biscuits which only gets replenished once a day. When feeding young I see
very little of this food taken to them as they are being fed insects, etc
for their protein diet. At times there are some days where the feeder food
is hardly touched. Our backyard clan outside of the breeding period
generally averages 5 to 6 birds.

Dean Cutten

Victor Harbor, SA
Australia






-----Original Message-----
From: 
 On Behalf Of Laurie Knight
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 4:54 AM
To: Birding Aus
Subject: The role of ill-managed bird feeders in spreading
disease

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20627554.100-garden-bird-feeders-sprea
d-diseases.html
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