Announcements

The Problem
with Feeding the Ducks

Heading to
the pond to feed the ducks is a very old and popular family pastime; it’s a
fun, free activity and a great way for parents, grandparents and children to
see and appreciate wildlife and nature.

Here’s the problem
with this activity:

What most
people don’t realize is that bread, rolls, chips and any human food items do
not offer the proper nutrition that ducks need – and the act of feeding a diet
heavy in breads and other empty carbohydrates can and does lead to severe
health consequences and a variety of other problems for the wildlife.

Nutritional
Consequences

Wild ducks
and geese feed on a variety of grains and grasses, aquatic plants and
invertebrates, all naturally found in the wild.
When eaten in combination, these foods are nutritionally balanced and
provide everything a wild duck or goose needs to survive.

In contrast,
foods fed to waterfowl in parks and specifically at our pond, (human food) such
as bread, crackers, etc., are typically low in protein and essential nutrients
and minerals such as calcium and phosphorus.
If everyone enjoying our pond feed these “junk foods” to the waterfowl,
it quickly becomes the bulk of what wild waterfowl consume. The result is a variety of nutritional
disorders.

Waterfowl
that have been feed “human junk food” are often admitted to wildlife
rehabilitation centers with metabolic bone disease (MBD). Birds with MBD have incredibly soft bones and
joints that are often malformed and fracture.
These injuries are caused by an
overall calcium deficiency in the body which is linked directly to an
inappropriate “human food” diet. Birds
with MBD are often so malformed they cannot fly and become dependent on
handouts, completing a vicious and cruel cycle for our wildlife friends. Affected birds are typically too weak to
compete for food and defend themselves and are often the victims of aggressive
attacks by other ducks and geese.

One more
problem with bread products feed to our wildlife creatures is that this type of
food expands in water and the ducks stomach – which gives the ducks an
artificial feeling that they are full.
As a result, these birds may not feel motivated to continue foraging on
natural foods of higher nutritional value.

As a community, what
can we do?

Allow our
wildlife to find their own wild; nutritionally balanced diet is best – for the
health of the wildlife and the surrounding environment – our pond. The bottom
line is that our wildlife in our community should be able to find plenty of
food on their own – so please resist the temptation to feedthe wildlife at our pond.

Instead of feeding the wildlife:

· Learn more about our native wildlife
and their natural history.

An excellent resource is:

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (www.myfwc.com) Waterfowl – Muscovy Ducks

· Spread
the word! Share this information with
others who might be killing our wildlife by feeding them “human food”.