STOP GIVING BREAD TO THE SWANS!
CARBOHYDRATES CAUSING ‘ANGEL WING’ DEFORMITY
Members of the public feeding only bread to the swans by the Parnell Bridge in Wicklow town could inadvertently be causing harm to the birds.
One of the recently born cygnets has already developed ‘Angel Wing’, a condition that is frequently recorded in swans and ducks which congregate and live in areas where humans feed them.
It is largely an incurable wing deformity which is thought to be caused by poor diet, among other factors.
Claire Gallagher photographed the unfortunate cygnet and sent the picture on to BirdWatch Ireland so they could identify the problem and offer any potential advice.
‘I was informed that some researchers have identified a diet consisting largely of bread and other carbohydrate food items as the cause.
‘It comes about from people feeding too much, or only bread, to the swans.
‘People should really be feeding them more than this, such as grains, shredded leafy vegetables or sliced grapes.
‘You wouldn’t feed yourself on just white bread so it’s as bad for them as it is for us.’
‘Angel Wing’ can occur in both wings but if it only happens on one wing, it will always be the left wing. Researchers are still stumped as to the reason why.
The swan will have a deformed wing for the entirety of its life and won’t be able to fly. It will also have a shorter life expectancy as a result.