Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Backyard Birding => Topic started by: newfoundlander61 on January 27, 2011, 02:35:38 PM

Title: Feeding Birds (Interesting Study)
Post by: newfoundlander61 on January 27, 2011, 02:35:38 PM

http://www.thestar.com/news/sciencetech/article/929056--does-feeding-birds-affect-breeding-yes-says-one-scientist?bn=1

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Post by: Axeman on January 28, 2011, 11:30:51 AM

They suggest at the end of the article, to feed in a more directed way...what does that mean?

I do stop feeding in spring / late spring...it's the law out here but...

I wonder why feeding has this deleterious effect...

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Post by: angieinto on January 28, 2011, 02:26:44 PM

We've been feeding the birds in our backyard for about 6yrs and here's what I've noticed. We now how have more of the birds we started feeding.

For a couple years we only had one male Hairy Woodpecker, and then one year he showed with a mate! We were thrilled, even more so when they brought the young-ins to feed as well.

We didn't have any Chickadees for about the first four years, and then one year a pair built a nest in one of our birdhouses, and now we have Chickadees all the time in the winter. We like to think it's the family that was born here, but who knows.

We've had Baltimore Orioles stop in, in the spring and fall on their way through, but last year they were here all summer with the family!

We now also now have 2 or 3 pairs of Cardinals and Downy Woodpeckers around on a regular basis, when in the first couple years it was just one.

We have more Gold Finches, House Finches and Junkos this year then ever before and the Blue Jays seem to be around more.

We put feed out all year, and have a wide variety of seed, feeders, water, native plants, and shelter. They have it pretty good here.

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Post by: Sahria on January 28, 2011, 03:57:05 PM

I too have noticed an increase in the number of birds per species that frequent my feeders. I wonder if they have a smaller clutch because there isn't as much of a competition for food and there is a reliable food source, making chances for the species survival greater, whereas with a short food supply having more chicks would greater the chances of species survival.

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Post by: RKD on January 29, 2011, 06:50:39 PM

I'm curious now whether this works for the squirrel population too. If I continue feeding them well will their reproductive rate drop? lol maybe I shall stop investing in squirrel proof feeders

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Post by: cloaca on February 02, 2011, 05:06:18 PM

Quote from: Axeman

I do stop feeding in spring / late spring...it's the law out here but...

Where is it the law?

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Post by: Axeman on February 02, 2011, 05:36:11 PM

Municipal bylaws....never know when that pesky bylaw officer will be around lol....

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Post by: Axeman on February 02, 2011, 05:46:51 PM

That said...I couldn't find the bylaw....hmmm...I think I'm following an urban myth !

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Post by: cloaca on February 02, 2011, 06:21:49 PM

I've heard of those bylaws existing in areas with grizzly bears, but I don't think that's much of an issue in southern Ontario.