“Our study highlights that individual and species-specific
differences in feeder use are present within feeder-visiting bird communities,
importantly demonstrating this across seasons within an urban system. These
intraspecific and interspecific asymmetries support the likelihood of
competitive interactions operating to regulate access to food, and suggest that
the effects of supplementary feeding are unlikely to be equivalent across all
birds within communities of feeder visitors. In New Zealand resource dominance
by introduced species is particularly important, with negative outcomes for
native species conservation in cities possible. Individual differences in
feeder use observed here are likely to affect the population-level impacts of
bird feeding, and consequently should be considered in future studies of garden
bird feeding.”
"Urban Bird Feeders Dominated by a Few Species and
Individuals"
Josie A. Galbraith, Darryl N. Jones, Jacqueline R. Beggs,
Katharina Parry and Margaret C. Stanley
Another good reason to use plants for birds and minimize artificial supplemental feeding! On the other hand, studies have found that birds in cold climates do fare better with access to bird feeders - they weigh a little more and are healthier.
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