Don’t feed bread to birds, it’s bad for them and for us

In reply to Roger Moroney’s column (Hawke’s Bay Today, September 3) in which he advocated feeding bread to wild birds.

The vast majority of people have no awareness that feeding birds bread is causing them harm

— yet it continues to be a popular Kiwi pastime.

Bread is junk food for birds — full of carbohydrates, yeast and sugars. Bread reduces their body condition and can make them more vulnerable to parasites and diseases.

Malnutrition and Angel Wing: In waterfowl (ducks and geese) it causes malnutrition and hideous deformities such as “angel wing”.

Aggression and Abnormal Behaviours: Feeding bread can cause the birds to be aggressive towards people and other birds.

Fouls the Footpaths: An unnaturally high level of bird droppings foul the footpaths and grass. Salmonella poisoning: Birds eating near fouled areas can result in potentially fatal diseases such as salmonella.

Botulism: Rotting bread and the nutrification of the water contributes to botulism (caused by a natural soil bacteria) especially in summer. Botulism paralyses and kills many types of birds. Rats: Leftover bread attracts rats and other vermin — we are trying to be predator free!

Birds do not need to be fed. They are more than capable of finding their own natural food which is better for them and keeps their numbers at a natural level.

As an alternative to feeding birds bread, ducks and geese can be fed a healthy diet of salad greens and peas. (abridged)

Ian McLean, Lynne Anderson and Bernie Kelly

Birds New Zealand (www.birdsnz.org.nz)

Hawke’s Bay region

Aotearoa a winner

The title New Zealand is an unoriginal, second-hand name that has been misspelt and mispronounced from the start, a few centuries ago.

Aotearoa is the original title of this country and is unique and correct in every way and has been for many centuries.

The meaning of Aotearoa seems to be from the earliest inhabitants being guided by a long white cloud during the day as they sailed the seas to find land. Maybe the mountain ranges looked like a long white cloud as they saw the land for the first time.

The main thing is that restoring the title of Aotearoa will help to put to right many wrongs.

I am of European descent and because I was born and live here in Aotearoa, I am not a Pa¯keha¯.

One cannot be a foreigner in a country where they were born and have lived in for 60 years.

I am a Kiwi, and I would be proud to call Aotearoa my nuclear-free home.

Thank God/Atua for te reo Ma¯ori that has saved such a beautiful language and culture.

I have picked up quite a few words from the tele and radio.

You can teach old white dogs new tricks.

Haere ra¯.