Are bird feeders BAD for birds

Never can there be a genuine reason to not use a bird feeder, feeders are good to use with few excuses not to use them in the garden.

Bird feeders are NOT bad for birds as they serve to offer different types of food that caters to specific bird species. Species of which come to rely on feeders in our gardens every day of the year. Few negatives may be founded, but to keep it clean, remove any hazards while replenishing with fresh food is imperative.

Come rain or shine, wild bird feeders you can buy only serve to offer up much needed food that our garden birds need regularly to stay healthy.

To be bad, feeders must be at least cause some harm or distress, but right now I can't think of any serious enough to not use bird feeders.

Feeders, if hung up high and out of the way of predators, it can keep common garden birds out of harms way, as they feed in safety.

Before I go on, let me say bird feeders are always a good idea, regardless of any negatives, or bad word to mouth you may of heard.

But let me be a bit more open in bird safety, feeders can be harmful to wild birds if not properly cleaned or maintained - as rot sets in bacteria can grow, thus causing long term health issues or death in birds.

While quite a rare occurrence, feeders could also cause harm if for example, birds get trapped in-between bird feeders too close together, or if any snag hazard can trap them for a considerable time.

Oh, and I must say bird feeders of any kind can make a mess in your garden, so be prepared to clean it up.

Needed when times are hard

I don't believe there can ever be a time when we can say bird feeders are bad for birds in our gardens.

Absolutely there can be issues that arise, but its never anything that can't be resolved.

Feeders for common garden birds who use them come to depend on bird feeders on a daily basis - in fact you'd be hard pressed to not see those that can, not use a bird feeder.

What better way to present a much needed source of food in a way that is sure to offer a safe environment, than rummaging around in nature.

Feeders are needed most in the summer time with a spell of drought; whereas in the winter food is hard to come by if covered in snow or drawn out frosts - but the cold can kill off birds' natural resources.

Unnecessary if NOT used

Bird feeders sole purpose it to be positioned in the garden in a way that invites wild birds to use them.

However, using them can be a different matter for certain people as not everyone is lucky enough to get visits by garden birds.

To have a wild bird feeder setup of any kind can certainly fill a void in the garden, but if they are never used that can only serve to see the bird feed go to waste.

I would then say feeders would be a bad idea but not in a way for wildlife.

It would be completely unnecessary to have bird feeders that are never used, so I would suggest getting use out of them by giving them up. By that you could offer them away or sell them at cost - as they serve to do their job elsewhere.

Bad if poorly maintained

Bird feeders are very bad for common garden birds if they are indeed poorly maintained.

Its all well and good having this magnificent wild bird feeding paradise setup in your garden, but if it serves to spread germs or allow birds to ingests bacteria then why even bother.

Feeders need care and attention, for the well being of wild birds that use them - rather than risk making them ill, in which would almost lead to death.

You must clean your bird feeders as often as you can, preferably once a week or so - as to avoid bacteria or rot setting in.

Poorly maintained bird feeders will rot in time, thus causing irreversible damage.

Soon then the feeders won't be much use as they contained obvious rot, where birds are likely to stay well clear.

Can encourage predators

Often, its not just a case for many of us to setup a bird feeder while allowing nature to take its course, it can be far more complicated than that.

Well, I would say for many of us - me included - neighbours cats are the real course of concern. Cats kill up to 27 million birds in the UK so that can apply to pretty much any one of us.

On top of that the mere presence of cats in next door gardens or hang around near by can simply stop wild birds feeding in our gardens all together.

What is a concern is predators wish to get at the food contained within bird feeders, so can do so while making a mess of our gardens.

More so, as smaller, more friendly common garden birds feed; larger, more nastier birds can be a real danger to them.

Invite unwanted guests

Unfortunately, bird feeders can be both good in that they feed wild birds in times of need, but can be bad in that they bring in more nuisance animals to the garden.

What common guests are likely to come then with the mere presence of bird feeders?

Well, its the pesky little squirrels that are going to stop by the most, especially for those who are located near woodlands.

It can involve extra expense in upgraded to squirrel proof bird feeders of any kind, so that isn't a good thing with higher costs.

But so to can the presence of bird feeder, replenished with tempting food - bring all kinds of rodents to them - including rats or mice.

Not an issue at all if this isn't a problem currently, but feeders are a bad idea if you are in a rat or mice infested area.

Cause NO harm or distress

I would say then bird feeders can never be a bad thing, as they only serve to offer up all types of important nutrition rich food, in the safest way possible.

And while a poorly designed or put together bird feeder can be a snag or scratch hazard, you are very unlikely to see a feeder cause harm to a bird.

What else you'd never see, well in most cases, is a garden bird getting trapped on the feeder - unless its a cause of there own.

I don't believe then no harm or distress can be a cause of concern to our garden birds.

Distressed a little I suppose, as they tend to scrap for territory when feeding in the morning, but that is natural behaviour of birds.

Providing you hang bird feeders made by reputable bird feeder companies, or sort to offer food up high on a bird table - out of harms way - then you won't be placing feeding birds in harms way.

Conclusion

How can bird feeders by a bad idea when they serve to offer up important food groups, 365 days of the year.

More importantly, wild bird feeders offered in our gardens are needed as common garden birds now come to depend on them, more so than food sources found in nature.

Feeders are needed more when times are hard, so if food in nature dries up in a drought, or if live insects or plants are killed off is harsh winter months.

Bird feeders would obviously be a bad idea if not used, as there be no point in them if the food is only going to waste.

If you are the person responsible for replenishing the feeders, then you certainly have a lot of responsibility on your hands in regards to the well being of birds.

Never allow bird food to rot in feeder, as a poorly maintained feeder can see bacteria grow on the food, but retain in the feeder if you don't clean them out once in a while.

Feeders can be bad if you don't want to invite the sort of animals that are intent in killing your birds, such as cats. But for many of use, the mere presence of cats is only going to keep birds at bay anyway.

Never use a bird feeder if you are in an neighbourhood with a rodent problem, as the smell of bird food is only going to bring them to your garden.

Feeders can be good or bad, but mostly good as they only serve to keep them alive at least when times are bad.

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