A flash. A swoop.
Day 187 #365DaysWild
Are feeders putting small birds more at risk from predators such as sparrowhawks?
Twice today. By the busy bird feeders. First a male, then a female sparrowhawk.
A flash. A swoop. Such charismatic hunters.
Tiny birds scatter. One poor little blue tit stunned as it flew into the window.
I oversaw it till it gathered itself and flew.
We have questions about using bird feeders.
Do they give advantage to species of birds that can dominate them and thereby profit from the boost to their conditioning and numbers over other, less dominant species? Are marsh tits, for instance, in decline due to the ascendancy of blue, coal and great tits?
Are feeders a dangerous repository for bird diseases such as avian flu? Are birds dying due to their congregation at bird feeders?
Are birds being drawn to their deaths in collision with windows due to bird feeders like ours close positioning to buildings?
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| Goldfinches |
Are feeders putting small birds more at risk from predators such as sparrowhawks?
Difficult to answer.
We know that the total UK wild bird food market is estimated to be worth £235m (PFMA Bird Food Market Data Report 2019).
We also know that conservation bodies derive significant revenue from bird food sales.
I’ve joined the BTO Garden Birdwatch scheme to help me find answers.