cereal offender

I'm a bird feeder, regularly in Stanley Park, sunflower seeds and peanuts (both shelled to eliminate litter and unsalted), to an assortment of squirrels, chickadees, and other birds. Most people who come by are appreciative but lately one passerby and a park ranger (separately) both claimed it harms birds and is prohibited by a parks bylaw. Neither is true. The Audubon Society, Cornell University Ornithology Lab and every other expert says bird feeding, if done properly, does no harm and may be helpful in this time of declining bird populations. I've also checked with the Parks Board and there is no bylaw against it. Please people, if you are going to go around telling people what to do or not to do, do some research first instead of just making things up.

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False

Dec 7, 2019 at 4:19pm

It’s an attractant if you throw seed and nuts on the ground. Over time, it can cause aggression, changes to animal health and behaviour, dependency, and disease transmission.
Taken from B.C. Laws, Clause 33.1 in the Wildlife Act states that:
A person must not leave or place an attractant in, on or about any land or premises where there are or where there are likely to be people, in a manner in which the attractant could (a) attract dangerous wildlife to the land or premises, and (b) be accessible to dangerous wildlife. (Aka bears, wolves, coyotes)

12 8Rating: +4

Park Derangers

Dec 7, 2019 at 5:53pm

All that power goes to their heads

6 12Rating: -6

Thanks Asshole

Dec 7, 2019 at 9:13pm

Rats and mice eat the crap that you scatter around for the birds too.
But whatever, it's not like Vancouver has any rodent problems.

11 7Rating: +4

Feeding the rats, skunks, and dogs

Dec 7, 2019 at 10:14pm

You're probably fine, but what can we do about the idiots leaving bread all the damn city?

6 10Rating: -4

Please stop.

Dec 7, 2019 at 10:31pm

I don't care if it's done properly imo. I was eating lunch on my break in a courtyard downtown sitting on a bench, and someone with a MASSIVE bag of bread showed up...I moved benches and eventually had to move over to the other side of the square because all of the pigeons and seagulls swooped down over my head, 40 of them quickly showed up and I started to notice bird sh*t all over the courtyard and on the benches where people sit. As a result then you deal with noise pollution of pressure washers to get the sh*t off so people can sit again. It's a sh*tty and selfish thing to do. You don't go tying meat to a tree for the declining bear population do you? And it 'may be helpful' for the declining bird population? I call bs. If there is a declining bird population there are bird reserves for that. Go volunteer for one; and what type of bird is declining in Stanley Park? No. There aren't signs saying 'Please feed the birds, and squirrels; the populations are declining'. Eckart Tolle told a story at one of his lectures how someone feeding the birds in Stanley Park ignored the park rangers...and there are some people who won't listen...that person was probably you. Cut. It. Out.

17 8Rating: +9

Anonymous

Dec 7, 2019 at 10:42pm

A quick google search leads me to the Park Board website which says in the second sentence: "the Parks Control Bylaw prohibits feeding wildlife within parks". I clicked through to the Parks Control Bylaw and I think it's specifically 14 (l) that prohibits feeding birds: "No
person shall, without permission of the General Manager first had and obtained...deposit food or grain on any area in a park except in litter cans provided by the Board for the purpose of receiving garbage and litter".

13 9Rating: +4

I'm...

Dec 8, 2019 at 1:45pm

glad you're not feeding them bread.

7 5Rating: +2

A problem

Dec 9, 2019 at 1:49am

Feeding wild creatures creates a dependency in them. Once they become accustomed to being fed without having to forage for their food naturally, they are at risk of starvation if the source of their handouts stops. Just let the wild things stay wild.

16 8Rating: +8

It is OK...

Dec 9, 2019 at 9:00pm

... if they bother you, say "parlez-vous francais, monsieur?"

6 10Rating: -4

STOP IT

Dec 10, 2019 at 10:55pm

I think the park ranger (whose job it is) just may know better than you. You're not helping the animals, they do not need you. You're doing this for yourself.

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