Subject: re: carnivorous birds
Date: Jan 08 10:11:10 1998
From: Diann MacRae - tvulture at halcyon.com



Hello Tweeters,

A few days back I commented on a message I had received on EBN re
"carnivorous" birds and I asked what had been observed here. I was most
interested in the variety of *unnatural* foods that birds may or may not
be eating. I wasn't meaning to start a thread on the morals of feeding
birds Wonder Bread (is it still on grocery shelves?). What I should have
done is copy the original letter. That letter came up again today, so I
enclose it. And am still curious as to any comments you might have on
unusual foods that birds gobble up.

Diann MacRae, Bothell, tvulture at halcyon.com

Mark Kuiper (Birdguide) wrote:

> Bird feeding seems to be a popular activity in winter. In the
> Netherlands the Grey Heron (Ardea cinera) is a new target in this sport.
> It must be about ten or fifteen years ago I first saw someone feeding
> herons, the man fed them dead chickens. After that the Herons got quite
> used to eating dogs- and catsfood.
> But now I noticed a strange phenomenon: Herons eating bread, apples,
> patatoes etc! As Herons are carnivores, I ask myself: does anyone know
> whether they really digest this food?
>
> If you do not belief me, look at the 'slide-quiz' page of my home page.
> Slide number five shows you a Heron eating a current bun it picked from
> the car of my neighbour, who is a 'waste food collector' (the current
> bun was actually meant to be pigsfood).
>
> Look at:
> http://www.globalxs.nl/home/m/markui/Dutch_Birds.htm
>
> Kind regards
>
> Mark Kuiper
> (Birdguide)
> Amstelveen
> The Netherlands