May 19, 2010
(Red Deer, Alberta) – As springtime has arrived and people are once again enjoying our beautiful parks, The City of Red Deer encourages the public not to feed waterfowl or wildlife in the community. This recommendation is intended for the benefit of birds, park visitors and the ecosystem as a whole.
“When birds are fed by humans, they become concentrated in small urban areas that can’t support their large numbers,” said Ken Lehman, parks planning and ecological specialist with The City of Red Deer. “Without natural food sources, the birds become dependent upon people for food and they can become nuisance animals.”
Hand feeding birds can also cause them to lose their natural fear of humans, and they may become aggressive and dangerous. This is especially apparent in the spring when birds are protecting their young and their territories. This aggression may be exhibited toward adults, children or pets near the water’s edge, or it may be toward other birds. “At artificial feeding sites, the competition for each scrap or kernel is high,” said Lehman. “This can result in some birds becoming injured and in others being malnourished.”
Additionally, the items that people commonly feed to waterfowl have little or no nutritional value. In natural settings, these birds feed on a variety of nutritious foods such as aquatic plants, natural grains and insects. By comparison, foods such as bread, corn or popcorn do not provide birds with sufficient nutritional requirements to maintain their health. “Lowered nutrition and overpopulation allow disease to spread more quickly,” Lehman said. “As well, large amounts of bird droppings can also lead to increases in disease-causing organisms like salmonella and giardia, which have the potential to impact human health.”
Where the populations of waterfowl are high, park visitors may also notice that the plants and habitat have become damaged. This is caused by overuse and overgrazing of the landscape, which can result in unusable turf areas and even erosion. In the water, an over-abundance of bird feces can also impact water quality, as excessive nutrients may lead to algal blooms.
If overpopulation and the associated problems it causes can be eliminated, waterfowl in our city will be able to live in a more natural, balanced state. And, the public will still be able to appreciate and observe birds and other wildlife in Red Deer’s park systems. “Park visitors have a great opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of wildlife in our city,” he said. “By not feeding waterfowl and by respecting them as wild animals, we can help to ensure their health, our safety and the beauty of our parks.”
For more information on waterfowl and other local wildlife, visit the Kerry Wood Nature Centre at 6300 45 Avenue in Red Deer.
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For more information, please contact:
The City of Red Deer
Parks Section
403-342-8234
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