The debate about feeding birds is an interesting one that seems to polarise opinion.
On the one hand is the obvious pleasure that it gives people, while on the other is the potential for disease/habituation/incorrect food/spoilage of waterways etc.
I was contacted by a lady at Brisbane City Council who was interested in the effect on a lake near us, of children feeding the waterbirds. Unfortunately, despite the obvious pleasure it gives the children, the "food" is usually white bread, and often when the birds have had enough the bread thrown into the lake "for later on".
It is also interesting to note the differences between attitude in Australia and those in other countries.
It is also interesting to note the differences between attitude in Australia and those in other countries.
Tim
I think that's a good point Tim although I wasn't aware of the risk of spreading disease until a few months ago.
In some countries especially when there is snow and frost around for months at a time, the few scraps thrown to the birds can actually be the difference between life and death to some of the smaller birds.
I remember looking at "seed blocks" at a local market and asking the stall holder how the seeds were stuck together. He replied that he put the seeds in a container (with a small hole at the bottom end) poked the wire through the seed mix and poured dilute wood glue through the mix and let it set!
Needless to say I did not purchase any for our budgie.
I'm curious to learn how small birds in places with snow in winter have become dependent for survival on humans feeding them. What did these birds do before humans began winter feeding? Migrate? If so, has winter artificial feeding interfered with their migration patterns & their breeding? If so, are their populations declining due to artificial feeding?
Or did these birds survive in their own ways without human interference? Presumably they did. So what's in it for humans to winter feed birds in places with extreme winters?
And what will happen to these bird populations if, for some reason, humans stop winter feeding?
How fascinating that nowhere did I see in these links the idea of habitat restoration. Does this mean that these countries are so over populated that there's no room for habitat restoration midst the vast, struggling masses of human beings? Or has the artificial feeding culture become so entrenched that it overwhelms any notions of habitat restoration? Perhaps the birds in these countries have evolved with artificial feeding although I suspect that it's more the case that humans have become so divorced from the natural world that artificial feeding provides them with the last opportunity to see birds.
Yes Woko, there does indeed seem to be a psychological need to associate with nature. Some research - sorry I can't put my finger on it - suggests that contact with nature is necessary for psychological health. This site hints at the relationship
Some North American passerines like the Northern Cardinal have expanded their ranges north. in this case from an original range of the eastern US down to Mexico north into Canada due at least partially to the widespread practice of using bird feeders to attract birds. Formerly the habitat was unsuited, maybe the northern populations are dependent on human handouts.
I am also fascinated with this variety of opinions on bird feeding between countries, from the UK, where it is almost accepted practice, to Australia, where we tend to frown on it.
One of my former lecturers at UQ, Richard Fuller ( http://www.fullerlab.org/drrichardfuller ) has done a fair bit of research on supplementary feeding of birds in the UK with the results indicating that density of feeding sites seems to have a significant effect on species abundance, but limited impact on species diversity.
It is also pretty clear that exposure to biodiversity has a significant impact on human wellbeing (http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/3/4/390). Obviously this is only one person's work, but when I was seeing a counsellor a while back, one of their recommendations was spending more time in nature, as it has a positive impact on mood. I'm not sure of the reasons for that, but I could guess at a number of them:
simply being part of our make up over 1000s of years - we need to feel part of a larger system
the general calming effect of being in a natural environment
we stop thinking about our own circumstances and notice the world around us
It's great if people get satisfaction from being involved with birds & other wildlife. However, I'm concerned that the focus is on humans' needs & wants being met at the expense of wildlife. We have vast experience to draw upon to know of the disasters that occur when humans see themselves to be above rather than part of other life forms. I would be very interested in any research into human behaviour in relation to the environment after experience of & in it.
Tim, I agree with your list of benefits from venturing into the environment. No doubt there are many others. Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods goes into this & I think there are other recent books of a similar ilk. For myself I benefit from the separation from crass consumerism & ugly materialism, learning about all the intricate interactions in the environment, the multitude of colours, sounds, textures & odours which assail my senses....the list goes on.
The debate about feeding birds is an interesting one that seems to polarise opinion.
On the one hand is the obvious pleasure that it gives people, while on the other is the potential for disease/habituation/incorrect food/spoilage of waterways etc.
I was contacted by a lady at Brisbane City Council who was interested in the effect on a lake near us, of children feeding the waterbirds. Unfortunately, despite the obvious pleasure it gives the children, the "food" is usually white bread, and often when the birds have had enough the bread thrown into the lake "for later on".
It is also interesting to note the differences between attitude in Australia and those in other countries.
Tim
I think that's a good point Tim although I wasn't aware of the risk of spreading disease until a few months ago.
In some countries especially when there is snow and frost around for months at a time, the few scraps thrown to the birds can actually be the difference between life and death to some of the smaller birds.
Samford Valley Qld.
I remember looking at "seed blocks" at a local market and asking the stall holder how the seeds were stuck together. He replied that he put the seeds in a container (with a small hole at the bottom end) poked the wire through the seed mix and poured dilute wood glue through the mix and let it set!
Needless to say I did not purchase any for our budgie.
Tim
I'm curious to learn how small birds in places with snow in winter have become dependent for survival on humans feeding them. What did these birds do before humans began winter feeding? Migrate? If so, has winter artificial feeding interfered with their migration patterns & their breeding? If so, are their populations declining due to artificial feeding?
Or did these birds survive in their own ways without human interference? Presumably they did. So what's in it for humans to winter feed birds in places with extreme winters?
And what will happen to these bird populations if, for some reason, humans stop winter feeding?
In Great Britain, the RSGB gives specific instructions as to how and what, here:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/makeahomeforwildlife/advice/helpingbirds/feeding/whentofeed.aspx
and here:
https://www.rspb.org.uk/makeahomeforwildlife/advice/helpingbirds/feeding/
As does the British Trust for Ornithology here:
http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/gbw/gardens-wildlife/garden-birds/feeding
The US Fish and Wildlfe Service also promote bird feeding:
http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/newreportspublications/pamphlet/feed.html
There are probably lots of other examples, but official attitude towards bird feeding is quite different to here.
Tim
How fascinating that nowhere did I see in these links the idea of habitat restoration. Does this mean that these countries are so over populated that there's no room for habitat restoration midst the vast, struggling masses of human beings? Or has the artificial feeding culture become so entrenched that it overwhelms any notions of habitat restoration? Perhaps the birds in these countries have evolved with artificial feeding although I suspect that it's more the case that humans have become so divorced from the natural world that artificial feeding provides them with the last opportunity to see birds.
Yes Woko, there does indeed seem to be a psychological need to associate with nature. Some research - sorry I can't put my finger on it - suggests that contact with nature is necessary for psychological health. This site hints at the relationship
http://www.naturalnews.com/032619_children_nature.html
BBC calls it Nature Deficit Disorder http://http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17495032
Tim
Some North American passerines like the Northern Cardinal have expanded their ranges north. in this case from an original range of the eastern US down to Mexico north into Canada due at least partially to the widespread practice of using bird feeders to attract birds. Formerly the habitat was unsuited, maybe the northern populations are dependent on human handouts.
Zosterops, the implications of artificial feeding for natural populations of birds would therefore seem to be quite severe in many cases.
Thanks for sharing that Tim.
I am also fascinated with this variety of opinions on bird feeding between countries, from the UK, where it is almost accepted practice, to Australia, where we tend to frown on it.
One of my former lecturers at UQ, Richard Fuller ( http://www.fullerlab.org/drrichardfuller ) has done a fair bit of research on supplementary feeding of birds in the UK with the results indicating that density of feeding sites seems to have a significant effect on species abundance, but limited impact on species diversity.
It is also pretty clear that exposure to biodiversity has a significant impact on human wellbeing (http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/3/4/390). Obviously this is only one person's work, but when I was seeing a counsellor a while back, one of their recommendations was spending more time in nature, as it has a positive impact on mood. I'm not sure of the reasons for that, but I could guess at a number of them:
Cheers
Tim
Brisbane
It's great if people get satisfaction from being involved with birds & other wildlife. However, I'm concerned that the focus is on humans' needs & wants being met at the expense of wildlife. We have vast experience to draw upon to know of the disasters that occur when humans see themselves to be above rather than part of other life forms. I would be very interested in any research into human behaviour in relation to the environment after experience of & in it.
Tim, I agree with your list of benefits from venturing into the environment. No doubt there are many others. Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods goes into this & I think there are other recent books of a similar ilk. For myself I benefit from the separation from crass consumerism & ugly materialism, learning about all the intricate interactions in the environment, the multitude of colours, sounds, textures & odours which assail my senses....the list goes on.