Do Feeders Make Birds Dependent?
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology states in their FeederWatch information that bird feeders are very unlikely to create dependency. Birds have evolved as wide-ranging foragers. They visit several food sources during the course of a typical day, and a feeder is likely to be only one of many stops on their daily route. However, the Lab does suggest maintaining feeders, if at all possible, during the coldest weather, particularly if the ground is frozen or snow covered. Reduce Window Strikes Putting up a feeder often brings birds closer to the house, increasing the likelihood that a bird will fly into a window. According the National Audubon Society, recent studies have shown that windows are the number one cause of bird mortality. Dr. Daniel Kelm, ornithologist at Mulhenberg University in Allentown, Pennsylvania, told NPR’s John Nielson (All Things Considered, Jan. 3, 2006) that at least a billion birds die in the US every year due to hitting windows. Kelm says placing feeders close to wind
