The Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society (MME) urges the public not to feed waterfowl. This practice is not only unnecessary but can also endanger large numbers of birds, a problem that authorities and conservation organizations worldwide are working to prevent.
As highlighted in MME’s Monday statement, the lifestyle of waterfowl—especially their survival strategies during the cold season—differs fundamentally from that of songbirds visiting typical winter feeders.
According to the MME, feeding waterfowl is harmful to the birds, the environment, and humans. It disrupts migratory behavior essential for winter survival, increases crowding and aggression among birds, raises the risk of injury and the spread of infectious diseases—most notably avian influenza, which can also affect humans. Excess food attracts rats, pollutes the environment, and degrades water quality.
Moreover, a long-term, one-sided diet of bread and other low-value food can cause disease in birds (such as angel wing); it draws large numbers of waterfowl to areas unsuitable for self-sufficient living; and it negatively affects public perception of the birds.
The statement also emphasized that feeding waterfowl creates a self-reinforcing cycle. Birds that are fed in autumn do not migrate, so people, seeing many hungry yet actually pampered birds, continue to feed them.
With the arrival of frost, the number of birds at feeding sites grows steadily, interrupting natural migration and wandering patterns. This, in turn, encourages people to feed them even more. The artificially maintained food sources at feeders allow more birds to breed each year, increasing the number of begging birds in summer and perpetuating the cycle.
To help municipalities and the public, the MME has created a free, downloadable poster about the risks of feeding waterfowl, available on their website at www.mme.hu.
(MTI)
