Please Don’t Feed Wild Birds
In 2026, Birds Queensland produced a brochure intending to guide people who wish to feed birds in their gardens. This page provides essentially the same content as the brochure, or you can download the PDF version here. For printed copies please email the secretary.
We have an associated page and brochure on creating a bird-friendly garden.
Surveys show that one in three households feed wildlife so that even if you don’t, it is likely that one of your neighbours does. Feeding wild birds gives people a great deal of pleasure, whether that is to observe birds at close quarters, to develop a relationship with them or with the intent to help them in hard times.
There is much research that shows that wild birds can be harmed when fed by people. Birds Queensland’s position is that we shouldn’t feed wild birds. Providing food through planting native gardens is preferred. This also supplies habitat for protection and breeding, and food for a variety of small birds which are declining in urban areas where dominant adaptable native and non-native species occur. Providing a safe clean water source for birds to drink and bathe in provides a safe and natural way to enjoy your local birds too.
Many of the bird species attracted to feed stations are aggressive, dominant species eg Rainbow Lorikeets, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Noisy Miners, Pied Currawongs, Butcherbirds, Torresian Crows and Australian Ibis. These species exclude smaller species by competition and/or predation. Small honeyeaters, wrens and finches are negatively affected.
Feeding can attract large numbers of birds which can become a problem for neighbours. Increased population densities attracted to bird feeders can also result in increased disease spread. Feeding the wrong foods is detrimental to birds’ health.
For those who insist on feeding wild birds, there are a few practices that can reduce the negative impacts of bird feeding.
- Feed nutritionally balanced foods. Bread, sunflower seed and fresh meat should not be fed. These lead to nutritional deficiencies in the birds and their offspring. There are many nutritionally complete foods that can be fed. Pelleted food is a good substitute for dry seed. Insectivore mix can be fed 50/50 with meat to correct the imbalances in meat products. Whole foods can be fed eg baby mice, baby rats, crickets, mealworms and wood cockroaches. All of these can be found fresh or frozen at pet retailers.
- Feed small quantities of food. Think of feeding as a snack not as a banquet. Feed small amounts of food that can be consumed quickly. This allows birds to “drop in” and check if food is available, then forage naturally if it isn’t. Remember that these birds likely have multiple feed stations that they are visiting. Feeding small amounts also prevents spoiling and prevents large congregations of birds that could be a disease risk or a nuisance for neighbours.
- Feed intermittently. Feeding small amounts at different times of the day and regularly skipping a day will also allow birds to snack, then forage naturally. This overcomes the risk of unwell birds developing dependency on the feed station. Sick birds can be a disease risk.
- Maintain hygiene. Bird feeders should be cleaned regularly to reduce the risk of disease spread. Ideally, a non-porous material should be used that can be easily cleaned and disinfected. Birds often feed on the ground around the base of the feeder for spilt food. This can become heavily faecally contaminated resulting in a disease risk for birds and humans (Psittacosis). Changing the position of the feeder periodically will reduce the contamination in any one site.
There is nothing lovelier than seeing birds in their natural environment. Bringing native plants and safe clean water into urban areas is more beneficial to a wider range of birds and animals than feeding.
