Feeding the birds

Feeding the birds - low cost entertainment

Who doesn't love feeding the birds?  It is a cathartic activity which benefits both man and bird alike.  The birds get food and have a positive interaction with man.  Man gets attention from other creatures and the joy of watching them compete over those morsels.   When birds are being fed, who among us doesn't look on and view the scene with pleasure and a wee bit of envy?  "I would love to do that," is a common consensus unuttered by the mulling public.

Entrepreneurs who grasp the enchantment feather their pockets with cash from the participants.  Others, more careful with their nest-egg, would bring something shareable from home; a favourite being popcorn or perhaps some stale bread torn to pieces.  One might find vending machines loaded with tasty treats which are coveted by bird and fish alike.  A bird's eye view would show a host of interacting species - an ecosystem built on this mutualistic activity.

There are those who are exorbitantly opposed to feeding wildlife of any sort.  Their cry would be that it desensitizes people to the dangers of wildlife, and it makes wildlife more likely to have negative encounters with people.  Bites, scratches, stolen food unintended to be shared, parasites, diseases such as rabies, and uninvited deplorables such as rats all being consequences of the fodder being offered.  They would point to wildlife such as raccoons, bears, skunks, and rodents that have turned on the hand that fed them.  We, who would dare to share our bounty with the birds, are inviting disaster.

If you look, eventually you will see signs that say, "Don't feed the birds!"  Typically these are posted at or near outdoor eateries such as fish and chip establishments.  The concern, or course, is that all that food, those delicious smells, and the likely waste will attract wildlife; hoards of them.  Being bombed by feathered assault craft is no fun, and the possibility of being the target of free falling body waste together makes the concept deplorable.

Feeding the birds is fun and beneficial, but do it in a place where those nearby don't pay the price for your generosity. Whether or not you support feeding wildlife, you can agree that, its for the birds.