Ethics of feeding songbirds

[swampster]

@jasonhernandez74

What makes birds different? That is, if there is such a thing as responsible bird feeding, why can there not be such a thing as responsible any-other-kind-of-wildlife feeding?

Birds are different because we can readily offer nutritionally appropriate food. Sunflower seeds are nutritionally appropriate for songbirds, but would be unhealthy for squirrels in large amounts. Birds have a tendency to use supplemental food as a supplement, where squirrels, for example, will sit on a bird feeder and eat nothing else. This is also partly why I advocate for native plant landscaping/gardening to feed birds over supplemental feeding (my comment from the other thread linked below).

Birds also don’t have the same problems with habituation associated with the supplemental feeding of many other vertebrates (mammals specifically). This is not to say that their are no issues/concerns of habituation when feeding birds, just that it is less than with mammals.

IMO, responsible bird feeding means:

1. offer only nutritionally appropriate food
2. use supplemental feeding as just that, supplemental (plant native plants!)
3. regularly clean your feeders
4. know when NOT to feed (e.g., during outbreaks of avian disease; if you live in “bear country”; if squirrels, raccoons, etc. start visiting your feeder consistently).
5. stick to songbirds (e.g., don’t feed the ducks at the park, even if you are feeding them nutritionally appropriate food) and other backyard species (e.g., doves, woodpeckers, etc.).

Article: Why you shouldn’t feed wild animals (except maybe birds)

Comment from previous thread:

@swampster

The safest and most natural way of providing food for birds is by landscaping with native plants. Audubon’s Native Plant Database provides an easy way to look up plants native to your specific area.

This method is obviously more labor intensive than simply hanging a few feeders, especially when first getting started. Additionally, HOA regulations can sometimes be challenging to navigate. However, as someone who loves gardening as much as I love watching birds, I find it immensely rewarding. You don’t have to replace your entire yard or go war with your HOA to landscape with native plants. Just keep native plants in mind next time you need to fill a gap in your yard.

I just recently replaced an invasive Mimosa Tree sapling with a native alternative that attracks hummingbirds, Red Buckeye. Native plants have the added benefit of drawing birds that don’t visit feeders into you yard. Things like native oaks, willows, cherries, and birches will attract warblers and other insectivores. Native plants also support more than just birds. My Red Buckeye provides nuts for the squirrels and is a host plant to Saddled Prominent Moths.

I highly recommend this article from the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden and any books by Doug Tallamy.