Cuphandle

"I find it so hard to accept that there are so many people out there who have such a negative attitude towards Magpies, birds or other species of wildlife, as has been indicative by most of the responses to this Thread so far!"

You've had two negative responses that I can see. That hardly equates to 'most' of them.

For the record I'm definitely another birdlover We're in a treed area and have a large native garden which attracts many varieties of birds, my particular favourite being the kookaburras.

I share your concern about the removal of the magpies, though I guess it's preferable to having them shot at, as Bugsy alluded to.

I have heard you shouldn't feed birds bread. I can't remember the exact reason why but it affects their health in some way.

Oh, and if you must feed them, feed them raw meat only. But don't feed mince from the supermarket, it has preservatives in it that are suspected in eggshell thinning, make sure it's preservative-free.

Cuphandle,Bronwyn

Thanks for that information Cup handle. I guess in that case I have been a bit slack if it was in my own turf. I only got to see some of it as others came flying outside to call me.

I can assure you Bronwyn is correct about most people no approving.
By opening this thread you have raised it again to our intention.
We will try to get a copy of it from the station and view it at a world animal day being held on the Gold Coast next Sunday.

I will also ask RSPCA to make a comment on this and invite the rangers( or the department of parks and rangers to explain? their actions and why dont they run education programes telling people to simply feed these nesting birds. (A check on their wild life training is also I order I should think.)

Bronwyn
Another thing i would like to see RSPCA National office spear head is educating our city councils to put bird watering fountains in our parks.

I am also a bit sick and tied of no signs around our ponds where we have dams reading =.
Parents pls make sure your children DO NOT CHASE the ducks and Swans in our ponds
THANK YOU!
Well done Cuphandle we owe you one!

Regarding the feeding of birds, does anyone know whether there are any problems in putting out seed for them? We were given a feed tray as a gift and I put seed out on it a couple of times a week. I sometimes wonder though whether I'm doing the right thing by the birds or not.

Bronwyn

I live in the Yarra Ranges and my seat at the PC looks out onto bushland, for a long time I put out seed for the Rosellas and King Parrots, but six months ago cockatoos started to arrive, apart from being very big birds, they live in communities of 30 or more birds and can be very destructive. Consequently, I stopped leaving feed out regularly. If I spy my regular King Parrots I give them a small quantity, so that there is nothing left for the cockatoos and believe me, a cockatoo checks in regularly.

The Shire council has requested residents not to feed any of the parrots as the cockatoos have reached almost plague proportions.

For magpies and kookaburras, I feed fresh diced roo (beef is ok too) - no preservatives as Bugsy explained. Again I do this on an occasional basis - at one stage I was being stalked where ever I went by a couple of kookaburras; opening the front door and being face-to-face with a bright-eyed kookaburra first thing in the morning really brings on the adrenalin.

In conclusion, my advice is very occasional feeds, small quantities. Of course the correct procedure is not to feed them at all, but I love the interaction I have with all animals.

Cheers

Bronwyn, Fractelle,
I think in these conditions of droughts it’s very important to put water out.
Quite some time ago we held talks with a head on National Parks and wildlife.
After a long drawn out debate it was finally agreed it would be sensible for park rangers to put out water and feed wherever they could.
The last I heard was he was going to present this idea at a meeting.
I must admit a lot of time has passed and I haven’t chased it up.
Its only common sense throughout Australia given the lack of feed and water we help in the bush and the city.

Its not rocket science. No water, no feed, no wildlife. I did write to RSPCA National head office several years ago suggesting they put out a plea by way of media R to all councils in Australia to put bird watering containers in a reasonable high position in their parks etc.

Getting back to Magpies it is only the arrogant people who don’t appreciate the wonderfully clever birds.

I once had a pet Maggie, who of course I named Mag. He had been hit by a car and would never have made it in the bush.

He knew everybody who entered the property and talked like a woman chatting to the next door neighbor hanging out the washing. He was also very protective of our housekeeper’s young child.
Whenever anybody came near he didn’t know he would run to her side and stop strangers from getting too close to the bub.

Once when she fell over in the yard. He rushed in screaming and running back and forth until her mother came.
It’s a pity we were not all as protective of their babies as they are ours.
The human race could learn a lot from these birds.

I think this should be part of our education in schools