Is It Bad To Feed Wild Birds? [Week 28]
Many people, including myself, love to watch and feed wild birds. But are we actually harming our feathered friends by providing them with food?
Amanda Drews, 5 minute read
Covid hits. We are stuck inside the house looking out. And then, we see them… Birds! The birds will be my friends! Welcome to my quaren-team little buddies! I will feed you now. And you will love me.
That may be a somewhat exaggerated account of the beginning of the pandemic for me. I did go get some new feeders and food and immensely enjoyed watching the wild birds flock to our deck. Now I’ve had a lot of bird friends under my care throughout my career, but one day, a thought crossed my mind…is it actually bad for wild birds to feed them?
While teaching with animals and trying to get answers from kids on how to help wildlife, I inevitably have a kid say, “Feed them!” While this kind-hearted, genuine answer was always meant to have good intentions, I would have to curb it a bit with a note on how feeding wild animals is generally not what’s best for them. So why was it that I was spending hundreds of dollars to do exactly what I was telling kids not to do?!
At this point I have these main questions about feeding wild birds:
- Is it bad and harmful to feed wild birds?
- What’s the best way to feed them? What feeders are best?
- Are there certain foods that I should or shouldn’t be feeding wild birds?
- Are there times of the year when I should or shouldn’t be feeding wild birds?
Is it harmful?
Animals that associate humans with food pose a threat to that animal and to people.
There’s a reason campgrounds in bear country have protective measures for their dumpsters. If bears learn they can get an easy meal by wandering into a campground, they will return. That can put them in danger of being shot in order to protect visitors.
Animals that are fed by people may end up relying on them and not spending enough time naturally foraging on their own. If that source of food disappears, let’s say tourist season is over, that animal may not be prepared to survive on it’s own. Hand fed animals may try to approach people even if they don’t have food for them which may lead to bites.
Think about a cute little chipmunk that you’ve hand feeding. If you go on vacation, that chippy might be searching for you instead of looking for food on it’s own. It may go up to other people hoping they have food. Maybe that person has food, maybe they don’t. If they do, that just reinforces the idea that people have food. When they don’t have food, the chipmunk could get frustrated and bite or the person may get scared and hurt the animal. If there’s no other people around that are going to feed the chipmunk, it may have lost out on precious time to find and store food for the winter which could lead to starvation.
With birds, that precious time may mean they decide not to migrate until much later.
Birds gathering in one area can lead to the spread of disease.
Social Distancing. It rings true for people as well as animals. The more animals you have in a group, the easier it is for disease to spread. Feeding many birds in the same area can lead to diseases such as House Finch Eye Disease or Trichomoniasis (Audubon, 2015).
Feeding birds interferes with natural selection.
Evolution. Survival of the fittest. If a bird is dependent on feeders, it really throws a curve ball into the process of a species’ evolution. Or is it an advantageous adaptation? There have been studies showing that birds who have evolved longer beaks and more frequently stop at feeders, overall have more chicks. So maybe we are influencing what happens but in a good way?
So what do the leading wild bird organizations and the science say?
Overall, it seems like feeding wild birds is ok to do if you are prepared to clean the feeders when needed.
There’s still a lot to be learned about the outcomes of having feeder vs non-feeder birds. In general, it seems the feeder birds do fare better according to The Cornell Lab’s Project Feeder Watch. And the connection people gain to these animals by feeding them is important for promoting conservation.
This study from the the University of Wisconsin found there was “no evidence that bird feeding promotes dependency” when they were comparing monthly survival rates of black-capped chickadees that had used feeders in the past and those that had not.
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The overall most important thing if you do decide to feed wild birds is that you keep the feeders clean. If your bird feeders are plagued with pathogens and mold, you probably are going to be doing more harm than good. So clean and disinfect your bird feeders once a month during the warmer months. Dump old bird seed into your compost where other birds won’t be able to peck at it. Use a solution of 9 parts water to 1 part bleach (Audubon.org) to soak your feeder in for 10 minutes (or 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar or biodegradable soap if you have wooden feeders). Scrub it and let it dry completely in the sun.
What’s the best way to feed wild birds?
There are 2 ways you can attract wild birds to your yard. By setting up plants that allow them to forage more naturally or by setting up feeders.
Creating a habitat out of the space in your yard by using native plants that feed birds will likely be the best scenario for all parties involved! But not everyone has a yard, the space or the budget to do that.
Bird feeders give us a clear glimpse of our wild bird friend’s and their behavior. Being that close and able to watch them can help people connect to nature better. Feeder types include seed, hopper and platform feeders.
The first thing you want to figure out is what birds are in your area and what types of foods will attract them?
There’s really not a lot of point to me spending years trying to attract a rosette spoonbill to my yard just because one was seen a few miles from here a couple years ago. Nor should I have my heart set on any other species of hummingbird except for a Ruby-throated. Possible? Yes, but not likely. You’ll want to find out what birds you have around you and if there are any that you shouldn’t be trying to attract.
Check out these resources:
- Project Feeder Watch lets you search by region, food type and feeder type.
- See The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s list of The Best Trees, Vines and Shrubs To Plant For Birds
- Check out the Habitat Network from The Nature Conservancy and The Cornell Lab of Ornithology for local resources in your zip code.
It’s best to stick with one type of food per feeder. This will not only help you keep track of what you’re feeding and how much you need to put out but it will keep your feeding area cleaner. Birds that love sunflower seeds will pick through a mix in order to get to that particular seed. Those extra seeds that are thrown to the ground may get eaten by other birds but chances are greater that pests like mice will get to them and pose a potential disease risk to your birds.
Certain feeders are meant to be installed at specific heights. So when you are considering what types of food you should be feeding out and the type of feeder that is best for that food, also consider what height you should put that feeder at.
If you are overwhelmed with what to do and just want to put something out there and see what birds come in, go with black oil or striped sunflower seeds (US Fish and Wildlife). These should bring in a good variety of birds. USFWS also recommends thistle or niger seed for attracting finches.
Are there certain foods I should not be feeding wild birds?
As with most animals, there are food items that shouldn’t be fed to them or shouldn’t be fed in large quantities. Here are some tips on making sure you are feeding healthy foods for your birds.
- Audubon discourages the feeding of waterfowl (ducks and geese) as a whole and definitely cautions against feeding them bread.
- Never EVER add dyes to hummingbird feeders! It should be water and white sugar. Nothing else.
- Bird seed mixes with fillers like oats or red millet (Cornell Lab).
- Make sure seed mixes with peanuts are kept dry (Cornell Lab).
- Birdseed with clumps, mold, sprouts, insects, foul smells and feces. If any of these are present on your birdseed, get rid of it! (The Spruce)
- Raw peanuts or ones with salt or sugar added (US Fish and Wildlife).
- Human food including chocolate and bread. Generally, it’s just not good for them.
Are there certain times of the year when I should feed or not feed wild birds?
- Only provide suet during cooler months. A one part peanut butter mixed with 5 parts cornmeal is a good replacement for suet in the summer that won’t go rancid or threaten bird health by melting and damaging the bird’s feathers (Audubon). I like the suet feeder above because it’s made of recycled materials and has a roof to protect it a bit from the rain.
- Avoid feeding peanuts in the spring and summer so if the parents try to feed them to their chicks, they don’t choke (RSPB).
- If you are going to feed wild birds, fall and winter feedings should be consistent and filled with hi-fat foods. It’s not completely necessary to feed wild birds during the summer months but if you do, make it a meal high in protein (RSPB).
- Depending on where you live, you may want to keep your hummingbird feeder out all year round or use the Hummingbird Guide for a better idea on when hummingbirds may be migrating through your area. Whatbirdsareinmybackyard.com recommend having feeders out mid-April to November as long as you haven’t seen any birds for 2 weeks for here in Minnesota.
- The Humane Society recommends having nyjer seeds available all summer long for goldfinches. I would opt in the future for a metal sided one like the yellow feeder below because the mice ate through my mesh feeder.
- Morebirds.com says jelly can be a treat that should only be offered during migration in small amounts
- Find out which birds are in your area, what they like to eat, what kind of feeder is best for that food and what time of year it should be fed.
- Consider using plantings to feed wild birds in order to encourage more natural feeding.
- Have the tools in place to keep your bird feeders clean.
- Enjoy making some bird friends!
- Get ready for a more sustainable Halloween with Week 29.
