I'm going to have to stop feeding the birds

 Firstly, because it's getting too expensive, secondly, because the wrong birds are getting all the seed!

I began a few years ago with feeding mealworms to the magpies who seemed to really enjoy them. Then the crows hustled in and the magpies took off to find food elsewhere. So I continued putting out mealworms for the crows. Until they no longer came for them. 

Meanwhile, my upstairs neighbour thought this was a great idea and began tossing out a couple of handfuls of oats for the mourning doves. I'd hear her calling to them, "come, come" and come they did. About a half dozen at first, then more, and more. They're like pigeons, fat and greedy. 

More recently, the doves have discovered the seed that I have been putting out for the Sulphur Crested Cockatoos, those lovely big white birds you've seen right here on this blog. But they rarely come down now. I hear them squawking and screeching, I see them in the trees. But the seeds are being gobbled up by about three dozen doves. They're so thick around the pan I can't even see it. 

For the last three days I have put out the seed and left it until it began raining, then I just tossed the leftovers onto the grass, where the doves would get it the next morning. Today, two cockies came down but barely ate before being scared off by cars and people coming and going, then the doves swooped in.

So I will put out less and less seed until my supply runs out and then stop. I don't care what the upstairs neighbour does.  

Comments

  1. I put out sunflower seeds every once in a while for the cardinals but I think the squirrels get most of them.

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    1. Mike; I'm worried also that I may be inviting rats. We already have a few around and I don't want more.

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  2. Probably wise given how it has panned out. I would hate the neighbour who attracted pigeons and doves. The cockatoo matter is strange. Is there sunflower seed in the mix? They seem to ignore other seed, as do most parrots when sunflowers are on offer. I'm surprised they wouldn't chase after that.

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    1. Andrew; I don't hate her, but I don't like her either. She is nice enough, but like to talk and talk and talk....and she claims to have lived in Australia for many years but her grasp of the language is iffy. Anyway, there are sunflower seeds in the mix, but not many, the cockatoos get those first and then crack the sorghum and wheat. I can't find any bags of just sunflower seed and I suspect the doves would go after that just as readily.

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    2. I have a vague memory of buying sunflower seed in pet shops. One favoured seed is not good for them though, but for some reason they really like sunflower.

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  3. Pigeons visit us too - but if the cockatoos are hungry they will chase them off. Sometimes viciously. I do understand why you are stopping though.

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    1. Elephant's Child; I haven't seen the cockatoos chase off any of the doves, but they did chase off one of their own and not let him/her near the seed tray until they had had enough. That one still comes down occasionally and I've noticed he/she flies down but always walks back to the tree and climbs up the trunk instead of flying.

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  4. We have to stop feeding in May, when the bears begin to move about!
    (ツ) from Cottage Country , ON, Canada!

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    1. Jenn Jilks; we don't have bears to worry about, thank goodness, but we do have rats and possums and I don't want to encourage those.

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  5. I miss feeding the birds but they suggested we don't do it here due to the bird flu which has hit commercial chickens hard as well as wild birds. I guess even they need to social distance.

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    1. Arkansas Patti; I'm sorry to hear about the bird flu, it started there quite a while ago I believe. I hope not too many chicken farmers are affected.

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  6. I am putting out less bird feed because we have been told that it attracts bears! I am not kidding...

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    1. Granny Annie; I believe you. Bears will be getting hungry and while seeds are tiny they will do as feed if the bears can't find berries etc.

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  7. We are in the same boat! In fact this is going to be a future post subject for me. Bird food unfortunately attracts unwanted visitors...

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    1. Steve Reed; it seems a little unfair, because I like the big birds, the cockies and the crows, but I'd rather not have flocks of doves on my grass and then rats at night.

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  8. I occasionally see a cardinal on our porch rail, waiting to sneak a piece of dry dog food. The squirrels usually get it first, if the dogs don't eat it all at once. We had to stop putting the food in the self-feeder bin, because of the squirrels.

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    1. Val; I remember reading about the self feeder on your blog. Those squirrels are clever when it comes to food.

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  9. My group of regulars appear every afternoon...they keep a good, keen eye on me...and I love having them around as my guardians. :)

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    1. Lee; I was hoping these few would be my group of regulars, but it won't happen. I think a few other tenants here are also putting out food. I know one have a regular group of magpies that wait for her each morning, she feeds them meat.

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  10. The animal behaviorists seem to think feeding them too often is bad, it makes them dependent. While i get that they can be a joy to watch, i have figured out that if i ever do want to start feeding birds, it won't be every day and certainly not in the seasons where food is most plentiful.

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    1. messymimi; I do know I probably shouldn't be feeding them as they are quite used to foraging for themselves, there are plenty of trees around with foods they like, so that is part of my decision to stop providing seeds.

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  11. We've been told not to feed because the seed is causing a virus or a deadly infection of some sort.

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    1. Joanne; there is a problem with the seeds? That needs to be looked into. Where is the seed coming from? I buy Australian seed, and won't even consider seed from China. But on the whole, wild birds should be left to find their own food.

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  12. I hate pigeons, and we have them here, too!
    We call them flying rats as they spread germs like rats. And they are loud.
    I put up sticks and all as the seeds were for the little birds. Worked, but now the tiny ones don´t come no more, sadly...
    Dumb upstairs neighbour...

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    1. Iris Flavia; I like them from a distance, not in big flocks on my grass and the early morning coo-coo-coo-coo just drives me nuts. I'm sad that my big birds don't come now as much as they used to. The upstairs neighbour is in your country right now, visiting her family.

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  13. It's nice to help the birds out. I have been feeding birds in our garden for thirty three years and like a hotel manager I have seen many different guests.

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  14. Yorkshire Pudding; I have only been feeding birds for a few years and mostly in winter and early spring when they may have babies to feed. But now there are so many doves getting all the seed I will be stopping as soon as my supply runs out. The birds will survive just as they did before.

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