Nothing brightens a yard like a flock of twittering birds, and nothing draws them like a free meal—but it’s an open question whether bird feeders are good for them or not, says a University of Alberta expert.
“There are tradeoffs to feeding wild birds that people have to recognize,” said Erin Bayne, a professor in the Faculty of Science.
On one hand, providing food during extreme weather—like Canada’s long, cold winters—does help birds survive, by fuelling their energy needs.
On the other hand, feeding could unwittingly pose mortal danger to them in a few ways.
Continue reading at University of Alberta.
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