Purdue Extension Service

Vanderburgh County, Indiana

Feeding Wildlife Not Always Helpful

By Larry Caplan, Extension Horticulture Educator, Vanderburgh County, IN

For the Evansville Courier and Press, June 21, 2009

Many folks enjoy seeing birds, squirrels, and other critters up close, and they'll set up food stations near the house so they can observe nature from the comfort of their home. This can sometimes have unforeseen problems, both for you and your neighbors.

Setting out bird seed in feeders will attract many beautiful songbirds. It can also attract starlings and pigeons, which can clean out your feeders quickly. The droppings they leave behind can be a disgusting nuisance. Squirrels are also known to enjoy raiding bird feeders, and are clever and agile enough to outwit practically any baffle or blocking device.

Setting up a squirrel feeder can be entertaining, especially if you enjoy watching their acrobatics. On the downside, though, you may wind up with quite a few more squirrels in your yard than you had anticipated. Other animals may want to get in on the free food, such as raccoons and rats. And if you suddenly stop feeding the squirrels, they may start looking for alternate food sources…such as your garden.

Raccoons, opossums, foxes, coyotes, and other such animals should not be allowed to get used to humans. Although they look cute and cuddly, they are wild animals, and will deliver a nasty bite to people and kids who get too close, wanting to pet it. Since these animals have been known to carry rabies, this can be a very dangerous activity. Also, these animals are scavengers, and will tear apart your trash looking for food; by luring them to your yard in the first place, you may create a maintenance mess for you and your neighbors.

Some folks think of how magical it is to look out their kitchen window and see a few deer standing in the yard. They may even be tempted to attract them, by putting out feed or a salt lick. But a herd of deer can consume a lot of vegetation, and when you run out of hay, they will then start feeding on landscape and garden plants. Because of how the herds move throughout the day and evening, they will not only decimate your garden, but your neighbors' as well.

Ducks and geese can also pose a number of problems. Attracting them to your yard with bits of bread will lead them to visit your neighbors' yards as well. These waterfowl feed on plant material, and can damage garden plants. They also leave behind very large and obnoxious droppings. Plus, you are harming their health by giving them nutritionally-poor items like bread.

Some people may say they don't mind the negatives, as long as they get to see the critters up close. But you should also keep your neighbors in mind if you do so. They may not appreciate the mess these animals leave behind, or the risk to their pets and families. And wild animals that become accustomed to being around humans may lose their fear of us, making them more likely to be killed during hunting season, or by an automobile.

For more information on controlling damage from wildlife, contact the Purdue Extension Service at (812) 435-5287.