State wildlife officials in Wisconsin are asking backyard birders to remove any unsafe birdfeeders for fear of harming other wildlife, according to a story from the Telegraph Herald. Raccoons, squirrels, skunks and even bear cubs are attracted to suet, scraps and other common bird foods, but they can get stuck in feeders and may be injured or killed. The Department of Natural Resources stresses that wildlife, including birds, can easily forage during the summer and feeders can be an unnecessary danger.While there are many safe birdfeeders available, birders who don’t want to risk attracting non-birds to their feeders can still enjoy the birds without feeders if they opt for bird-friendly landscaping or install a birdbath in their backyard.
What wildlife encounters have you had at your feeders? Share your stories in the comments!
Raccoon at Birdfeeder
Photo © Wilson Bilkovich
Comments
Interesting variation of the normal annual PR which used to tell everyone just to “take down all bird feeders.”
In my experience, a bear or a raccoon will tear most feeders to shreds, so it begs the question, exactly what is an “unsafe” bird feeder to bears?
Only wild animals my feeders attract are the neighbors cats! Really pesky but I learned that some mothballs around my feeders kept them at bay.
After enough fighting with the squirrels over the suet feeders I got a hummingbird feeder and haven’t had any problems since! The trick is to get one that doesn’t leak, like a feeder from Perky Pet.