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DON'T FEED BREAD TO DUCKS AND GEESE What Bread Is Ducks Bread and similar products such as crackers, rolls, chips, crisps, donuts, crusts, cereal, and popcorn are great sources of carbohydrates, but they offer little nutritional value for ducks, geese, swans, and other birds. In fact, bread is the equivalent junk food for birds. Just like humans would suffer from a diet of nothing but candy and , too much bread can lead ducks to obesity and malnutrition as well as many other problems.1 |
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Ten or so years ago I wrote several blogs about the damage done by feeding bread to water-fowl........I have posted several in the intervening years, when it has come up.......Most places now have signs and explanations to wean Humans from this destructive habit......They insist that they feed thenm bread because they love the birds, but everyone by now surely have the information that feeding them bread is not a loving gesture at all...........
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1:07 Watch Now: What Do Ducks Eat? Why Bread Is Bad for Ducks Not only can bread be fattening to ducks and make it harder for them to fly and otherwise evade predators, feeding ducks can also lead to other serious problems. Duckling Malnutrition: Ducklings require a varied diet and plenty of natural plants and insect proteins to mature properly. If ducks are regularly fed bread, ducklings will not receive adequate nutrition for proper growth and development. Furthermore, because ducks will eagerly seek out an easy food source such as human handouts, ducklings will not learn to recognize or forage for natural foods as easily. Overcrowding: Where an easy food source is abundant, ducks and other waterfowl will lay more eggs and the pond or lake will quickly become overcrowded. This makes it more difficult for the birds to seek out healthier food sources and increases the likelihood of territorial aggression. In overcrowded areas, predators can also thrive and will impact other bird populations, and diseases can quickly spread through large flocks as well. Pollution: When too much bread is offered to ducks, not all of it will be eaten. Soggy, uneaten bread is an eyesore and rotting bread can create noxious odors as well as lead to greater algae growth that can clog waterways and crowd out more desirable plants. This concentrates the pollution and can eventually eradicate fish, amphibians, crustaceans, and other life in the vicinity, making good food sources even scarcer. Diseases: Feeding ducks bread can increase the spread of diseases in two ways. First, a carbohydrate-rich diet leads to greater defecation, and bird feces easily harbor bacteria responsible for numerous diseases, including avian botulism.2 Second, moldy bread can cause aspergillosis, a fatal lung infection that can decimate entire duck and waterfowl flocks.3 Pest Attraction: Rotting food leftover from sated ducks will attract other unwelcome pests such as raccoons, rats, mice, and insects. These pests can also harbor additional diseases that can be dangerous to humans and threatening to other wildlife. Loss of Natural Behavior: When birds become accustomed to handouts, they lose their natural fear of humans and may become aggressive in order to get more food. Their loss of fear can also cause other dangers, such as a willingness to cross busy roads in order to reach picnickers, dumpsters, and other likely sources of food. What to Feed Ducks Instead of Bread Wild ducks and waterfowl can live longer, healthier lives by relying on natural food sources such as aquatic plants, seeds, grasses, nuts, and insects, rather than taking handouts from well-meaning humans. If you still want to feed the ducks, which can be an enchanting experience, there are many healthier alternatives to offer instead of bread. Great foods to feed ducks include: Grapes (cut in half to prevent choking) Cracked corn, barley, oats, birdseed, or other grains Frozen peas or corn kernels (defrosted first, but no need to cook) Duck feed pellets available from farm supply stores
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Sparkle I remember a few years back when we had lots of swans at Lost Lagoon. There was a lady who went down there every day to feed them. She wasn't feeding them bread but would have a cart full of lettuce and other vegetables that was donated to her by some store that sold mostly vegetables. She had a stick that she used to chase away the geese as she didn't want them eating the food that was meant for the swans. BTW nowadays no swans at Lost Lagoon anymore. They were taken away by the Parks Board.
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Sparkle I remember a few years back when we had lots of swans at Lost Lagoon. There was a lady who went down there every day to feed them. She wasn't feeding them bread but would have a cart full of lettuce and other vegetables that was donated to her by some store that sold mostly vegetables. She had a stick that she used to chase away the geese as she didn't want them eating the food that was meant for the swans. BTW nowadays no swans at Lost Lagoon anymore. They were taken away by the Parks Board.
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DON'T FEED BREAD TO DUCKS AND GEESE (and the alternatives) - you're right
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The Mute Swans that were there were not a native species, but imported from Britain.....their reproduction wasn't successful because of the natural predators,....like raccoons and sea-otters......The last ones were removed to a sanctuary.......There are still Swans that visit Lot Lagoon...migrating Swans that stop there.......There are Trumpeter Swans around here sometimes and they are glorious.......
  NBA PLAYOFFS New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers .
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