birding-aus

Feeding Birds

To: Kai Schraml <>
Subject: Feeding Birds
From: Fiona Anderson <>
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2016 09:50:50 +0000
I totally agree. Thank you, Lloyd.

Sent from my iPad

> On 4 Feb 2016, at 12:52 pm, Kai Schraml <> wrote:
> 
> What Lloyd said…spot on
> 
> 
> Kai Schraml
> ​+61 (04) 9999 1240 Cell
> +61 (02) 9985 1901 Home 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On 4 Feb 2016, at 9:42 am, Lloyd Nielsen <> 
>> wrote:
>> 
>> First let me say I have been feeding birds all my life. I see nothing wrong 
>> with it as long as it is done responsibly.
>> 
>> Just a few points.
>> 
>> Creating a garden which will attract birds is the ultimate BUT how many 
>> people have the ability, the inclination, the knowledge, the opportunity, 
>> the time or a suitable block of land to do it? Very few I would think. As an 
>> ex-nurseryman I would have loved to have done it but have never had the time 
>> or the opportunity. There would be nothing better. In the district in which 
>> I now live I know of only two gardens created to attract wildlife but I know 
>> of many many people who have a feeder or water in their gardens just for the 
>> birds. And as far as planting a garden of native plants for wildlife, that 
>> is fine but it is only the dedicated (converted) who will do that. Most 
>> people love that massive colour that exotics and some natives provide around 
>> them - just watch the ABC TV Gardening Australia programme on a Saturday 
>> night. When I was in the industry, we could sell 100 azaleas to about 10 
>> grevilleas. (A considerable number of the azalea buyers will still have a 
>> feeder or water in their garden though).
>> 
>> As far as disease goes, I have never seen a single example of a diseased 
>> bird at or near any of the feeders I have used over the years. But then I 
>> have always lived in the country and have fed birds responsibly. (I presume 
>> it may probably be more of a problem in the cities).Surely some of these 
>> diseases can be spread naturally. I have a Callistemon not far from my front 
>> door which flowers profusely. It attracts probably 10 species of 
>> honeyeaters, lorikeets, and others as well as beetles, butterflies and many 
>> other insects by day. By night, fruit bats give it a thorough going over and 
>> probably many other nocturnal life forms such as smaller mammals, moths and 
>> so on. I should think it would be so easy to pass disease on when so many 
>> creatures visit it.
>> 
>> Do people really feed cockatoos and other obnoxious species? They certainly 
>> don't get a look in at my place.
>> 
>> There was a great story on our local ABC radio a week or so ago. An old 
>> fellow had just retired and someone gave him a bird feeder. He knew nothing 
>> about birds but was amazed at the birds it attracted. He bought himself a 
>> field guide and now sits on his patio for a couple of hours each morning 
>> watching and identifying the birds that come to the feeder. Best thing he 
>> has ever done was his comment. And there are many more like him out there! 
>> Isn't it better to advise him of the correct way to do it rather than say 
>> "Sorry mate - you shouldn't feed birds", especially in this day an age when 
>> our wildlife is still getting a walloping with habitat still being destroyed 
>> at an alarming rate and giving way to urbanisation, agriuculture and so on? 
>> Turning the general public away from feeding birds surely must be a backward 
>> step. We need all the support from the general public that we can get from a 
>> conservation point of view. We should be fostering their interest which in 
>> turn will add some support, especially when fighting conservation battles.
>> 
>> Lloyd  Nielsen
>> Mt Molloy, Nth Qld
>> www.birdingaustralia.com.au
>> 
>> 
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