Feeding wild birds. Good or Bad??

Is it good or bad to feed birds? Soo many do it. Studies show that between 35% - 75% of households feed birds (World-wide) and Australia (35% - 55%) seems be along those same lines.

But what is the effect on the birds? Truth be known? We know very little.

The CSIRO did quite an in-depth study on bird feeding. It looked at it from angles I hadn't even considered. Religious & cultural importance. The relationship formed between the person & the bird.  Effect of urbanisation & MOST IMPOTANTLY dispelling many of the myths about why it's bad to feed wild birds. Also note worthy by them was, Australia seems to be on its own to officially discourage bird feeding, and they were at a loss to explain...  

http://www.publish.csiro.au/view/journals/dsp_journal_fulltext.cfm?nid=96&f=MUv111n2_ED

But the study didn't delve deeper into what was being fed & the impact that is having.

This month (August) Deakin University is holding a National survey for those that feed “wild birds” or have a bird bath. I have registered both the Tapas Bar & the Tranquillity Pool. They want 20 minute windows on feeding stations 3 times/week. Here’s their link https://csdb.org.au/feedingbirds/home.aspx

I understand the 20 minute window, as you can’t expect Joe Citizen to spend hours doing this.
But I do spend hours. Not only that, I have Headley filming it all. I get to see not only the moment, but the background behind it. This I feel must be of some value to someone, and to that effect, sent off an email to Deakin Uni offering my help.
So in that vein I’m making this post.
It also allows me to add background to the photos. The survey allows photos with each species sighted, but a photo doesn't describe the circumstance. So while you'll find the photos up to standard, I might have to curb my humour (mostly) for this post and be factual.

I’ve done 4 surveys so far, here is the first 2. I’ve added a few extra photos to this blog to give background before the survey started.

2/8/16.

Tapas Bar
Today’s Menu; Finely sliced pear & grapes with apple match sticks, sprinkled with Panko Breadcrumbs (everyone likes the breadcrumbs & a teaspoon goes a long way).
During the 20 minutes; Both Brad the male Satin Bowerbird and Shiloh, his son, turned up, followed Cedrick & Daphne the Lorikeets. Then there was Red the protagonist Red Wattlebird.

This is Brad the adult male Satin Bowerbird.

He visits 3 - 5 times a day

His favourite food is grapes.

This is Shiloh, a juvenile male Satin Bowerbird.

He turns black at age 7.

His favourite food is mashed potato/pumpkin

Cedrick & Daphne the Lorikeets.

Cute & Colourful,

and will attack anyone that gets in their face.

They LOVE grapes

This is Red, my local Red Wattlebird.

Breeding season has just started

and he's been a handful taking on everyone,

including the Lorries.

His fav is  banana.

Tranquillity Pool

Shiloh was the only one.

Shiloh grabbing a quick drink.

Then there is what happened over 4 hours;
Cedrick & Daphne returned along with a couple of mates. It took them all of 20 mins to clean it all up.

Number one, that’s it. Stay there.
Two, back a little, a little more. Now don’t move.
Three, you’re going to have to pull your head in.
YOU PULL YOUR OWN HEAD IN! JUST TAKE THE DAMN PHOTO!

The day before the survey started, Red took on Judge John Deed, a Crested Pigeon. What happened was a surprise to both Red & me. Although I think Red got the bigger surprise. The Judge didn’t take a backward step. The next few photos were outside the survey time and are for background only.

You would think the Judge was in for a bit of a surprise.

You'd be wrong.

Stopped dead in his tracks.

Red runs into a brick wall of soft.

Reds final humiliation.

Look closely. That's Red tucked under the Judges wing.

The Judge & Jailer.

Seems birds do have a memory, for the next day both Red & the Judge fly up to the Tranquillity Pool. After an eye ball to eye ball, Red gave some unseen acquiescence, and the Judge proceeded to the Tapas Bar unchallenged.

The Great Stare-Down.

Acquiescence.

The next to visit is an interesting bird. I have a regular pair of Pee Wees (Magpie Larks), Pedro & Pernicious. They have the reputation of little birds with big heart. They will take on any predator and are quite aggressive. I don’t see much of that, except when a Local Sea Eagle cruises over. And I think that’s because of my next point of interest. They rarely visit the Tapas Bar. They’re in my backyard every day, they walk around the base of the Tapas Bar eating the fall overs, they’ll fly up to the Tranquillity Pool for a drink, so I know they can see the food, still they reluctantly feed off it. Today I was lucky, Pernicious came to check for any left overs.

Pernicious the female Pee Wee (Magpie Lark)

She has the white chin.

Rice & Breadcrumbs tempt her.

Shiloh returned while Cedrick & Daphne were still feeding. This lot have clashed before & Shiloh knows how cantankerous they are. He looks closely. Cedrick’s eating the last grape, there are a few tasty left overs, but are they worth the aggravation? He thinks not. But he did give it a bloody good look.

Could I? Should I?

It looks so tasty......but....

NOT worth the agro

5/8/16 (what an epic day this was).

Tapas Bar

Today’s Menu: Sliced grapes, diced apple & Rock Melon wedges & some breadcrumbs.

During the 20 minutes; Angelina a female Satin Bowerbird & Shiloh’s mother was the first in today.

She started with some grape, juggled it, lost it, and then decided that it’s easier to eat on the Tapas Bar.

Grape, my second favourite food.

Bugger!

Slippery suckers.

That's better.

This is when Red arrived. He was in a mood to take on anyone. Another mistake for Red. Angelina was like the Judge, but with a bit more attitude. She took him on, mid attack. Again he lost this battle.

Red taking on Angelina.

BIG mistake!

After having his arse kicked by a Crested Pidgeon & a girl, he needed some redemption.

Now who was the nastiest dog in the junk yard……..Cedrick.

With his back to him, Red launched his attack. Catching Cedrick by surprise, he did some Lorikeet surfing. He'd pushed his luck & won. He didn't try that again.

Yah Hooo. Ride that big green wave..

I'M LORRIE SURFING.

So now we have a really pissed off Lorikeet, and Button the Kookaburra turns up. These guys don’t like each other much. As for battles, so far the outcome is about 50/50. Today wasn’t Buttons day. He lost 2 for 2. The lead photo for this post where it looks like Button has Cedrick's head in his mouth is not what it seems. Check out the video. You'll be surprised.

https://youtu.be/fq4aFI2ReMo

Poor timing Button.

All she wanted was the rock melon.

Cedrick doing a bit of bird surfing himself.

This was the last straw & Button took off.

Down 2 for 2. Not a good day for the Kookaburras.

With Red “In Season” and taking on everyone. Losing some, winning some.

Well this has led to some unusual alliances.

Mal the Noisy Miner is a cheeky bugger. Every time he approaches the Tapas Bar he’s attacked by Red. But he’s noticed Red won’t take on the Lorries, so maybe a quick way to get a feed. Problem is the Lorries don’t like him much either. But their focus is on Red today.

Mals thinking

"Well they're not attacking me, that's a good thing right?

But they do look fearsome"

The next unlikely truce was with Shiloh and the Lorries Cedrick & Daphne. The Bowerbirds & the Lorries don’t get on as well. Again, like Mal, Shiloh is attacked by Red every time he approaches. Seems Cedrick & Daphne are Switzerland. Again, like Mal, they tolerate Shiloh.

Cedrick & Daphne are a pre occupied.

Good opportunity for Shiloh.

The Tranquillity Pool
Again Shiloh was the only one.

Well, that's it for now.
Keep tuned for the next instalment of the National Bird Survey.

Hear Ye. Hear Ye

The Tapas Bar is Mine.

My name is Red.