By Jonty Ralphsmith
A Keysborough resident has raised the danger of bird-feeding.
The person, who sent an anonymous letter to Star Journal, said he had come across information indicating residents are choosing to feed birds in their yards and in public spaces.
He questioned why there was insufficient signage warning of the dangers of bird-feeding around the Greater Dandenong Council’s parks and reserves.
He further conveyed that brochures and leaflets on the topic should become more readily available, contrasting how little information there is about birds with the extensive education available about dogs and cats.
Greater Dandenong Council has a page on its website informing people of the harm that bird-feeding causes.
A range of initiatives have been trialled to manage the issue without causing harm to the birds including playing out the sounds of predators in urban areas to try to get them to disperse.
La Trobe University ecologist Alex Maisey emphasised the mutual danger of feeding birds.
“Often the issues to the birds health is people will use the wrong sort of food,” Mr Maisey said.
Birds get little, if any, nutritive value from sunflower seeds and other human foods that they haven’t evolved to process.
“It’s not great for the birds’ long-term health and it encourages aggressive behaviour,” he said.
“When you’ve got multiple individuals all coming to the same place to feed, they’re very susceptible to transmission of disease in that artificial environment because of the physical contact the animals are all having.”
He said diseases and bacterial infections such as psittacosis can be transmitted to humans via dried faeces, and should act as a disincentive for people feeding birds
Mr Maissie encouraged people to observe birds and enjoy their beauty, but he said that planting trees was the best way of assisting the creatures.
“That provides their preferred food and keeps them healthy, restoring habitat and providing a food source.
“Any native vegetation is going to help restore balance, I think.”
There are no federal laws prohibiting the feeding of native birds in Australia, but director city planning design and amenity Jody Bosman discouraged people from doing so.
“While it may be viewed as fun to feed birds such as magpies, pigeons and ducks, doing so can cause birds more harm than good,” he said.
“Signage is particularly visible around our wetlands.”
“Greater Dandenong’s open spaces, parks, bushland reserves, vegetated road verges and wildlife gardens provide an abundance of natural foods and habitat for local wildlife.
“We continue to raise awareness of bird safety and the impact of bird feeding via Council’s communication channels and school education programs.”
Despite the complaint to Star Journal, Mr Bosman said there had not been an increase in complaints on the issue.
