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Elk's sad tale a reminder not to feed wildlife | MNN - Mother Nature Network
This photo caused this elk to be put down. Read why at the link.
Feeding wild animals can cause them to become so dependent they can actually starve while they wait for you to feed them more. If you're going to feed, do it very sporadically and move the feeding area from one place to another. But, best not to feed at all.
Water is better but they can become dependent on that as well.
Putting seed and water out for birds can also cause health problems. The worst is a protozoa called trichomoniasis which causes a plaque like growth in the mouth and esophagus. The plaque gets thicker and bigger until it fills the throat and the bird slowly starves to death.
I have treated many birds with trich and its heartbreaking. While it is spread from bird to bird at feeders and waterers, those birds can become the food for accipitors such as Cooper's hawks and other bird-eating raptors. They take the sick birds back to their nests for their own babies. I've seen it wipe out entire families of raptors.
If you do give seed and/or water to birds, don't put the seed in a feeder. Best to scatter it, cast it over a large area and move that every single day. Same with water. You can use a bird waterer as long as you don't use it more than one day before changing.
This isn't really hard. Trich is killed when it dries out. Don't bother washing or bleaching your feeder/water container. But, if you have two, just let one dry out for one day while you use the other.
Sadly, you will never know if you are giving trich to the birds you feed and water. The sick ones mouth the seed or water and then drop it for other birds to pick up - spreading the protozoa. They then fly off to get sicker and sicker and finally die.
Thanks for reading.
This photo caused this elk to be put down. Read why at the link.
Feeding wild animals can cause them to become so dependent they can actually starve while they wait for you to feed them more. If you're going to feed, do it very sporadically and move the feeding area from one place to another. But, best not to feed at all.
Water is better but they can become dependent on that as well.
Putting seed and water out for birds can also cause health problems. The worst is a protozoa called trichomoniasis which causes a plaque like growth in the mouth and esophagus. The plaque gets thicker and bigger until it fills the throat and the bird slowly starves to death.
I have treated many birds with trich and its heartbreaking. While it is spread from bird to bird at feeders and waterers, those birds can become the food for accipitors such as Cooper's hawks and other bird-eating raptors. They take the sick birds back to their nests for their own babies. I've seen it wipe out entire families of raptors.
If you do give seed and/or water to birds, don't put the seed in a feeder. Best to scatter it, cast it over a large area and move that every single day. Same with water. You can use a bird waterer as long as you don't use it more than one day before changing.
This isn't really hard. Trich is killed when it dries out. Don't bother washing or bleaching your feeder/water container. But, if you have two, just let one dry out for one day while you use the other.
Sadly, you will never know if you are giving trich to the birds you feed and water. The sick ones mouth the seed or water and then drop it for other birds to pick up - spreading the protozoa. They then fly off to get sicker and sicker and finally die.
Thanks for reading.
