Feeding bread to Ducks and other waterfowl

[Del.Monte]

Seems to be a myriad of different views out there.

RSPB: "Bread is not a natural source of food for water birds such as ducks and geese. For this reason, it is suitable for them only in very small quantities. "Like humans, birds need a variety of food to be healthy, and bread doesn’t offer birds the nutrition they need."
"Although ducks, geese and swans are able to digest bread, it can leave them feeling full without them having gained the nutrients, vitamins and minerals they need from their natural food." - My London, April 2021.



Read this article if you wish to confuse yourself further: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-50081386

Personally, I don't feed our local ducks on the Slaney and they seem to thrive anyway. I think people who feed birds need to ask themselves why they are doing it - is if for personal gratification/cute photographs or is it because they genuinely believe in what they are doing.

[490808]

Used to belong to the wildfowl and wetlands trust in the UK and they are happy enough for you to feed bread at their sites.

Its funny on some on their sites you can wander around and feed the birds and they sell food for the purpose, but any self respecting duck won't bother with the healthy option when there is bread available. Anyway never saw a skinny bread fed duck on a wildfowl and wetlands trust site.

But just look at the bottom of the first poster? As far as I can see Girl Scout Troop 2822 is in AMERICA.

News for the sake of it?

[Del.Monte]

I don't think it's 'news for the sake of it' as it's a major debate in the UK. Here in Ireland we are more concerned with the ethnic diversity of our Environmental organisations than actually doing anything about anything - be it advice on duck feeding or any other environmental issue.

https://dublininquirer.com/2021/08/18/t ... y-reps-say

[490808]

But why is there a picture of a sign from America?

[765489]

No idea about feeding ducks we get a couple in every year into some of the ditches here but I suspect the foxes get a lot of them.

I used to feed the birds alot but have stopped in recent years unless it is harsh winter weather. Reason I stopped was due to Trichomoniasis in finches and was thinking am I right having all these birds mixing and in the same place with this disease going around ?

I do throw some pinhead porridge out to the sparrows living under the roof of the house from time to time.

[490808]

The only problem I can see is people dumping bread in the water even though the ducks aren't eating. Mothers bring the bread the ducks aren't interested because they have been fed twenty times already that day but mother still throws the bread in the water.

We keep chickens and I know of one guy that fed his flock almost entirely on stale and mouldy bread he got free from the local Supervalue.

[Hodors Appletart]

major debate, yeah?