Families feeding birds at a lake or pond is a perfectly normal sight. More often than not, parents with children can be seen feeding bread to the animals. It turns out that this is the worst thing they can do.

Scientists warn that feeding bread to birds harms both the animals and the entire ecosystem. It is better to opt for other foods, such as grains.

Experts from The Canal and River Trust remind us what not to feed birds. It turns out that feeding bread, especially white and processed, to waterfowl can lead to digestive diseases and even death of the animals fed.

Let us remember that birds are living beings, not rubbish bins into which we can throw whatever we like. If you notice mould on your bread, throw it in the bin, don't feed it to your pets, as the fungus is just as poisonous to them as it is to us.

Environmentalists also point out that bread that the birds didn’t manage to catch and eat, rots and sinks in the water. This wreaks serious havoc on the ecosystem. The Canal and River Trust reports that rotting bread causes excessive algal blooms on the surface of water bodies. These absorb oxygen and then produce toxins that are dangerous to fish.

As we read on ekologia.pl, excessive vegetation contributes to the darkening of the water and hinders access to light. As a result, this limits or even inhibits photosynthesis. In addition, the more bread we give the birds, the more their droppings will be in the water bodies, which is also not good for the environment.

So what can you feed the birds with? We recommend oats, seeds, rice, grapes, lettuce or frozen peas. By using them, both the animals and Mother Nature will thank you.

Source: ekologia.pl