Feeding Birds, Ducks, etc

[StephM]

Actually, I think at MK, near Casey's in that grassy fenced off area, there is a sign that says not to feed the ducks. At Boardwalk, there is a sign saying not to feed the birds and also to beware of "aggressive birds" and they mean it. We had a couple land on the table and try to pull food out of our hands.

As far as the ducks, in Feb, my DS2 loved the ducks for about a day. First, a lady was feeding them at the MK bus area. She left and one saw DS' chubby feet hanging out of the stroller and assumed they were fries. Ran up and chomp! Then, outside the plaza one morning, another bit his hand when he was eating a piece of muffin (DS was eating it, not the duck LOL).

Last September, a guy behind us at Casey's had a seagull grab the bun of his hot dog while he was sitting there. He almost had a heart attack.

When they are fed, they get aggressive. As someone who spent 3/4 of our trip trying to keep a 2 yr old from having a nervous breakdown every time a duck came within 100 yards of us, I have to agree....Don't feed the birds. Please.

[svickersart]

I was at AK about 5 years ago and stopped for a hotdog and fries at a place in Asia, dont think its there anymore, sold Mickey D's fries. It was busy so I sat on a planter to eat, set my fries on a napkin next to me. A black bird hopped up, helped himself to a fry and moved away to eat it. The fries were within 6 inches of me so I figured if the bird had enough balls to get that close to me and help himself he deserved the food.

At DL, at the bear burger place the cats are what you have to watch out for, I've had them jump on my table.

[Shorty82]

The birds get so used to getting handouts they get violent at times. At Epcot my SIL and I were sitting on a planter wall between Test Track and Mission: Space. We saw a crow walking around with no fear of all the people and peck somebody. The bird was obviously expecting a handout and when he didn't get it he got mad.

At another park, maybe at AK but I'm not sure, we saw a little girl try to give a duck some food and get pecked for her trouble.

Leave the birds alone and don't feed them. Not feeding them is better for them and the guests.

[Syndrome]

When we were at Castaway Cay earlier this month, SGs were feeding the seagulls. Thank goodness they were farther down the beach, as their area was quickly mobbed like a scene out of Nemo. I'm sure the people sitting around them loved being dive-bombed by agressive feathered poop machines.

[CelebrationNM]

Here is a list of problems with feeding the birds or animals...

Perfectly good list of reasons. While it might be cute to feed the birds for the five minutes you're sitting on a bench, other Guests might not like having those nasties around. I love wildlife, but for everyone's good they should be discouraged from seeing humans as an easy meal.

If you want to feed the birds, do it at home.

If you want to feed an alligator, find a timeshare sales person in Celebration.

[hobie16]

So if guests didn't feed the birds, the birds don't poop ?

They still do but it's free range poop.

[Sunshine36616]

At Epcot I actually saw a duck go up to a guest seated on a bench and rap him in the shit with his bill.

[hobie16]

We get the same thing action here on Maui but it's the fish who attack. Tourists will take bags of frozen peas into the water to attract fish. The fish have gotted use to the free handouts so when they see a bag it's a free for all. It's pretty funny to see someone in the water holding a bag of peas over their head and screaming bloddy murder.

[Belgarion42]

SeaWorld has killer seagulls.

I've noticed. When eating at Shipwreck Reef Cafe, I saw a seagull fly down just as a kid got up from his seat, grab a half-chicken off the kid's plate and fly off with it. Another time, my wife and I were feeding the dolphins at Rocky Point and a bird (a heron, maybe) swooped in and take the fish out of my wife's fingers, drawing a little blood in the process!

When they say be careful of the birds there, they mean it! And due to various laws, there's nothing they can do to get rid of the blasted things!

[mechurchlady]

So if guests didn't feed the birds, the birds don't poop ?

The birds poop either in flight or where they are roosting and feeding. Feed the birds and they will poop in your patio. Do not feed the birds and they poop in the ponds, lakes, trees, and other places away from people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK-iumo1Z5E
At seaworld the seagulls steal food meant for other animals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqKTJVyI2xU
Same thing happened to me. Just standing there with some fish and them damned birds scare the bleep out of you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8Xy9_gG9ts
Those birds live on invertebrate animals or seeds for example.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2aRNEPD7LY
This heron is a meat eater but they feed it a mushroom. Fill the bird up on veggies that it cannot digest properly. Notice the food on the floor and how the bird is in the traffic area where people walk.