Backyard Feeders Attract Aggressive Birds, Discourage Native Species

While backyard feeders help supply food to birds wandering the area, a study shows that this activity could invite aggressive bird species such as doves and sparrows, leaving native species out of the picture. The study can be found in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It involves monitoring what kind of birds visit certain areas that are provided with feeders filled with bread and seeds. It also investigates if bird feeding activities can have an impact on the natural balance of bird feeding.

According to study lead author Josie Galbraith of the University of Auckland in New Zealand, bird feeding is a common hobby around the world, and the study is technically a “worldwide experiment,” as reported in Discovery News. In the study, scientists followed 23 residential gardens in Auckland for a year and a half. Eleven of these gardens had bird feeders containing bread refilled every day. Twelve gardens had no feeders.

In a total of 597 surveys, over 18,000 birds from 33 different species were recorded. In addition, the study found that backyard feeders attract non-native species such as sparrows, blackbirds, spotted doves and myna. Gardens that had feeders invited 2.4 times more sparrows and 3.6 times more spotted doves compared to the gardens with no feeder, as reported in Discovery News.

Bird feeding is a common activity found in the U.S., Australia and Europe. In New Zealand, there are around 265,000 homes that promote bird feeding based on the background information supplied in the study.

While the study was admittedly small with only 11 bird feeding gardens involved, researchers urged bird enthusiasts to use a larger approach in welcoming birds that depend mostly on fruit, insects and nectar. The study shows bird feeding does invite aggressive bird species, but researchers said they don’t suggest stopping the activity.

Galbraith told AFP that feeding birds through backyard feeders allows people to connect with nature. Instead, she encouraged people to install bird feeders to invite a diverse species of birds in the urban areas. She also reminds those who put backyard feeders to keep them clean regularly to avoid the spread of avian diseases.

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