Why feeding ducks bread is a bad idea…

Angel Wing is a man-made disease and one that hinders a waterfowl’s ability to fly and makes them easy prey for predators like foxes. Without realising it, you may well have given it to a few ducks in your time. Read on to find out more about the effects of Angel Wing and how you may be able to prevent it.

When you head down to your local park with a loaf of white bread to feed to the ducks, you may feel like you’re doing a virtuous deed. Actually, you are doing the worst thing possible for the fowl you’re feeding. White bread doesn’t offer much in the way of nutrients for ducks and geese and this is one of the main causes of Angel Wing. The disease causes the deformation of bones and makes the effected bird’s feathers to stick out at a 90-degree angle from its body. This deformation of the bones makes them extremely vulnerable to attacks from predators and dogs. The disease’s name ‘Angel Wing’ derives from the feathers, when sticking out, looking a little like angels’ wings.

Feeding ducks white bread is not only a cause of Angel Wing, but it also causes them to become dependent on humans. Consequently, they lose their natural foraging ability and become obese on bread, which impedes them even more. Left over food also attracts rats and can cause blue-green algae to form in the water, and this is poisonous to humans and dogs as well, not to mention toxic for children.

Overall, feeding white bread to ducks isn’t a good idea as it had side effects that are bad for both humans and birds alike. Help prevent Angel Wing by only feeding ducks raw porridge oats, pellets and bird food/seeds and do the ducks, geese and us good.