Feeding wild birds

[Neil Fitzgerald]

I had special reason to grab a copy of the Sunday Magazine insert in the Sunday Star Times today. In it Steve Braunias writes about feeding birds in his garden, and his inspiration is Rosemary Tully's book, Tea for the Tui ($20 at Manaaki Whenua Press). I don't actually have the book, but I think I'll look into it. I know there are arguments for and against feeding. I did some reading and came to the conclusion that, like many things, if done sensibly there is little harm in it. So, who else feeds?

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Some of the guidelines I recall off the top of my head.
DO
-Keep the food and feeder clean. Spoiled and soiled food can spread disease.

DON'T
-Make sugar-water too strong. Best between 10-15% so it doesn't take birds off natural food and minimizes the attraction to bees and wasps.
-Use honey. Apiarists say it can spread bee diseases, and apparently it can irritate birds throats.
-Put the food somewhere that could make visiting birds vulnerable to predators.


I'm sure there were others. Feel free to add.

[SzimiStyle]

Another important thing to DO is:
- keep up the feeding of birds continuously especially in severe winters.
- don't just wonder of the colors of visiting birds but get knowledge about birds visiting your feeder.

Szimi

[birdingnzer]

I was told that if you feed ducks etc. bread, you should feed them grain bread, as otherwise the developing ducklings can get rickets.

[Shane McPherson]

I dont suppose theres a huge number of other raptorphiles out there.

I lay out the collected defurred-possum carcasses of recent spotlighing nights. We get 4-6 harriers dropping in during lean times to feast and scrap, particularly during rough weather. This photo taken from my bedroom window.

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