Poppy Posted November 24, 2018 Share Posted November 24, 2018 “There has been a great deal of press coverage in recent months regarding the ‘Ban the Bread’ campaign which is confusing many members of the public who like to feed swans. Supporters of the campaign claim that bread should not be fed to swans on the grounds that it is bad for them. This is not correct. " More here. http://www.theswansanctuary.org.uk/cause/official-statement-bread-queens-swan-marker/?fbclid=IwAR3QcHEqVptx4SSzaVryRX4nLJzwJostrUnTZffNQ0OYrYWyPSdFBGu3nPw I assume that this is true for other water birds ? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HEM Posted November 24, 2018 Share Posted November 24, 2018 I remember in the late 60s/early 70s staying in a cottage at Thurne & Basil Curtis of the then village shop said "we loikes to see the visitors feeding the ducks - because when they (the visitors) are gone - out come the guns". I was pals with Basil's son Ernie but have long since lost contact. Ernie worked for a number of years in Singapore & them moved to Ormesby (where I once visited him) but I have since lost all contact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grendel Posted November 24, 2018 Share Posted November 24, 2018 I think bread is fine, as long as the birds are also getting other food as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauriceMynah Posted November 24, 2018 Share Posted November 24, 2018 The whole post from the swan sanctuary, As many of you know there has been a lot of debate about feeding swans and other waterfowl bread. We have always maintained that feeding them bread is fine, Today we received a this statement from The Queen’s Swan Marker, David Barber, MVO, endorsed by Professor Christopher Perrins of the Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology at Oxford University. “There has been a great deal of press coverage in recent months regarding the ‘Ban the Bread’ campaign which is confusing many members of the public who like to feed swans. Supporters of the campaign claim that bread should not be fed to swans on the grounds that it is bad for them. This is not correct. Swans have been fed bread for many hundreds of years without causing any ill effects. While bread may not be the best dietary option for swans compared to their natural food such as river weed, it has become a very important source of energy for them, supplementing their natural diet and helping them to survive the cold winter months when vegetation is very scarce. There is no good reason not to feed bread to swans, provided it is not mouldy. Most households have surplus bread and children have always enjoyed feeding swans with their parents. The ‘Ban the Bread’ campaign is already having a deleterious impact upon the swan population; I am receiving reports of underweight cygnets and adult birds, and a number of swans from large flocks have begun to wander into roads in search of food. This poses the further risk of swans being hit by vehicles. Malnutrition also increases their vulnerability to fatal diseases like avian-flu which has caused the deaths of many mute swans and other waterfowl in the past. Furthermore, there have been statements made in the media claiming that feeding bread causes angel-wing in swans. Angel-wing is a condition where a cygnet develops a deformed wing. Professor Christopher Perrins, LVO, FRS of the Department of Zoology at Oxford University stated, ‘There is no evidence of a connection between feeding bread and angel-wing; at least some cygnets develop this condition without ever having seen any bread’. I therefore encourage members of the public to continue feeding swans to help improve their chances of survival, especially through the winter.” We’d like to Thank every one for their support and we hope that this will help these beautiful birds. I would be interested in the RSPB's take on this subject. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CambridgeCabby Posted November 24, 2018 Share Posted November 24, 2018 I have always found bread sauce is excellent with goose 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveO Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 We have rather posh waterfowl in our bit of Horning. Nothing less than organic ciabatta moistened with extra virgin olive oil will pass their beaks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grendel Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 now while I might worry slightly over cheap supermarket blotting paper bread, I would think a good artisan loaf having more proper ingredients and thus more nutritional value, would be perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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