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Do you feed birds?

#EvanPoll #Poll

  • Strong yes (30%, 113 votes)
  • Qualified yes (22%, 82 votes)
  • Qualified no (24%, 89 votes)
  • Strong no (22%, 82 votes)
366 voters. Poll end: 1 year ago

Evan Prodromou reshared this.

*If* I remember to refill the feeder...
In light of bird flu outbreaks in animals, it think it’s best not to, except if the bird is your pet.
@DocCarms "The use of bird feeders is unlikely to spread highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, and the risk of an outbreak in wild bird species that frequent feeders is considered low. However, feeders should be removed from areas that are open to poultry and other domestic animals."

https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/migratory-game-bird-hunting/avian-influenza-wild-birds.html
I...

... never understood feeding birds.

Like, watching birds? Awesome. But feeding them? Maybe it's a home ownership thing? Don't they just stick into the roof, and cause property damage and drafts/leaks?
No, but I'm glad my neighbors do.
A blurry close up photo of a cardinal standing on the ground seen through some metal bars. A blurry close up photo of a cardinal standing on the ground seen through some metal bars. Body sideways looking towards the camera.
A blurry close up photo of a cardinal standing on the ground seen through some metal bars. Different head angle. A blurry close up photo of a cardinal standing on the ground seen through some metal bars. Body sideways looking off to the side.
We don't feed native birds, it's not good for them.

But we do have a large round ceramic bird bath which we upkeep with fresh water (unless it's rained). The families of birds around us all use it, but the white cockatoos seem to think they own it!!!!

It also allows us to watch them alot. They've worked out we're not here to harm them.
@yinaar our Audubon Society in North America encourages backyard birdfeeders, especially in winter.

https://www.audubon.org/news/11-tips-feeding-backyard-birds
Because of snow?

Here, birds are still wild and it's better if they can feed themselves, rather than becoming dependant.

This means placing emphasis on maintaining natural habitats. Many eat insects too.
I used to feed great tits with lard and sunflower seeds
mostly because I plant things that they love to eat.
This may well be the most even poll I've seen!
i dont feed them. But i have a dripping faucet outside, and i put a chipped bowl under it. Since i live in the southwest, and it's very dry....i have become a minor bird celebrity.
Living in the subarctic means that all wildlife here is precarious. One bad season can be devastating to the bird population. The Icelandic bird conservation society has pretty good advice on how to feed the birds to give them a bit of a buffer than makes them likelier to survive a bad season.
mostly those who cannot scavange
Results so far are so balanced it's surreal.

(154 votes, with a breakdown of 25%-25%-24%-26%)
I have a hummingbird feeder I try to put out during their season here.
In the warm weather, I keep a plate of peanuts hung on my patio for the birds. Last summer there was a cardinal who waited for me to come out every morning to have breakfast with me. If I was late he'd sit outside my window and call.
A bright rest Northern Cardinal sits on the pole for a bird feeder.
Not in my yard, because I live on top of a feral cat colony, so I'd really be feeding them to the cats if I did that. I do feed ducks sometimes though.
I don’t have a birdfeeder (and setting one up on my apartment balcony would be difficult for various reasons), but I haven’t _never_ fed ducks at a pond or lake.

(Remember not to feed them bread!)
Yes, but in accordance with local avian flu guidance.
Would like to but there are just too many cats in my neighbourhood, including my own.
I have spare feeders and rotate them so I can keep them clean. I definitely feed them, but I follow the advice of our local Dept. of Natural Resources and I did take them down temporarily at one time.

I also discourage the neighbour's cats from coming onto our property.
If I didn't feed birds, my #CatsOfMastodon couldn't enjoy quality BirdTV content.
My qualified yes is that I feed the birds over winter and wean them off in the spring.

I will probably wean them off early this year as H5N1 is coming with migratory birds and I don't want to encourage greater spread or risk catching it myself (highly unlikely).

I also stop feeding and watering them when avian conjunctivitis or other bird diseases are on the rise.
Qualified yes, here. We have a feeder and keep it filled, but have left it empty during the bird flu outbreak.
I do. I sometimes feed the sparrows too. It gives me an enormous sense of well-being.
And then I'm happy for the rest of the day, safe in the knowledge that there will always be a bit of my heart devoted to it.

#parklife
Crows can be a lot of fun if you feed the same ones enough to get to know them. But what's even better is squirrels.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ydeBAFWKsY6WTR289
cats in our hood (hell, our house alone) means I’d be setting them up for death, but I feed them at Nick’s father in law’s house. (I fill the feeders).
I even have photographic evidence!
Myk feeding bacon rinds to the local magpies. Two magpies are taking turns to take a piece of bacon rinds from his hand.
we feed them here in our Vermont back yard.

tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag
Wow, definitely a contentious poll.

I am a strong yes. We grow native plants in our garden to support both berry- and seed-eating birds but also to support the insects that insectivores want.

We also have bird-feeders in the winter, which are apparently good for some species.

Thanks to everyone who responded.
we kept half our property native, most of the other half is taken up by the house. We are planting for the deer and the birds and whatever else was here, and while waiting for those to become ample, we have feeders of various types. We have small enclosure around individual fruit trees and part of the front yard. The enclosures are small enough that, once the trees are established, the lower branches will hang outside the enclosures.
ah! If you count not harvesting fruit plants and trees, then yes, I should have voted higher up. Just not a fan of the artificial feed many garden centers here (πŸ‡³πŸ‡±) sell. It’s superfluous if there’s no snow on the ground (less and less the case)
would love to but we have a cat and that just feels like collusion
yep and I don’t want to leave it to the bell on his collar
I don't feed wild birds because in my town this means... hundred of pigeons. I don't hate pigeons, they're part of the ecosystem, but it's our duty to prevent them to proliferate too much. They're far too much intelligent for the sparrows, which population is decreasing rapidly.

BUT my mum owns a very old cockatiel, 21 turning 22 this december, who had a beak or tongue problem this january and couldn't feed himself. We hand fed him with liquid baby/chick formula for almost three weeks. He almost died, but later he recovered and now he is back to his normal weight.
A strong yes, I feed birds every week to my family
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