We feed the birds outside; a sunflower mix, thistle, peanuts, and suet. The feeders are kept full, and the birds seem to be always eating.
So, is this rich abundance a possible concern? Will the flycatchers get fat, the mockingbirds morbid, the orioles obese, the pigeons pudgy?
You’ve never seen a fat pigeon?
I’m actually reading a book right now that mentions migratory geese getting too fat to fly- but they are pretty much fed a diet of stale bread by the locals, not birdseed… and it’s fiction so…
My guess is birdfeeders with bird feed should be ok
No, unless kept as pets, they usually don’t learn enough human language for obscenity to be a problem. Wait, I’ll come in again…
Fat birds would be easier (not to mention more attractive) prey for other animals (which is why, like sick birds, they don’t tend to be seen). In general, birds eat a surprisingly large amount because flying is hard work - and they have a very energetic metabolism to make it possible.
If you see a fat birdy singing, you know it’s almost over.
Migratory birds need large fat reserves for their upcoming migrations, so they’ll fatten themselves up as much as they can before they begin their migratory flights. This is entirely natural, though human-supplied bird food makes it easier to build up that fat reserve. Seriously overweight birds might not be able to fly long distances, and are at greater risk from predators (though humans have reduced the predator populations in many cases).
In some cases, however, birds find that humans will keep them well fed through the winter, so there’s less advantage in taking a long and perilous trip just to find better food and climate. So some populations of birds are no longer bothering to migrate. Nonmigratory geese populations are growing in parts of the US, to the point that they can be a major pest.
So… is feeding birds a bad thing? Well, the birds certainly don’t mind, and you’re probably supporting larger populations of certain species. Evolution will take quickly care of any “obesity” problem in natural populations. Obesity in humans is really only a problem for reasons that don’t apply to birds – increased healthcare costs, social issues, etc.
Bird feeding does lead to evolutionary changes, of course. In the long term, some species will adapt to exploit the food we provide, and perhaps others will be marginalized if they cannot compete. But that shouldn’t be much of a surprise, considering all the other species that have adapted to human environments.
Birds have an enormously fast metabolism. Hummingbirds, for example, are a matter of *hours *away from starving to death at any given moment. They only make it through the night by lowering their metabolism significantly. A lot of songbirds are seed-eaters because most seeds - not just sunflower seeds - are high in oils and so are calorie-rich.
Besides, this time of year, they’ve got babies to feed, and need all the food they can get their feathery little mitts on.
Feed them, enjoy them, and let your conscience find something else to worry about!
And give them all the rice they want: Is Throwing Rice at Weddings Bad for Birds? | Snopes.com