Thanks, Sarah. You raise a good point that I didn't really get into: bird feeders often end up supporting non-bird species whose populations are already disproportionate to their ecosystems.
Another reason not to put out bird feeders- I live in a fairly urban area and my suet feeder was consistently stolen and emptied by rats. Once I realized I was just fueling a burgeoning rat population in my neighborhood I gave up on bird feeders. I've never thought of bird feeding in the same terms as the 'don't feed the wildlife' rules of the national parks before, but it makes sense!
clever possums
We sprinkled a handful of peanuts outside our bedroom door so we could watch some birds up close. Discovered we had a pair of opposums.
Thanks, Sarah. You raise a good point that I didn't really get into: bird feeders often end up supporting non-bird species whose populations are already disproportionate to their ecosystems.
Another reason not to put out bird feeders- I live in a fairly urban area and my suet feeder was consistently stolen and emptied by rats. Once I realized I was just fueling a burgeoning rat population in my neighborhood I gave up on bird feeders. I've never thought of bird feeding in the same terms as the 'don't feed the wildlife' rules of the national parks before, but it makes sense!