Re: Feeding the birds not a great idea at popular lagoon (News Gazette, Jan. 16)
It’s good to see someone picked up on some of the folly of feeding birds.
Missing from your article is the danger to children. The child in the photo in your Jan. 2 issue (shown, right) is foolish for getting so close to large birds. They are wild creatures who can get confused and thus feel threatened and react in defence. They can get aggressive if they want more food from you.
While she looks sweet, some children poke at birds with sticks. A Canada goose can break your arm with its wing, and of course has a large beak and agile neck like the swans.
City people do not understand wild creatures, who are living their life and defending their life as best they know how. And when they’ve been fed before they want more.
On the farm, orphaned sheep and goats fed from a bottle became a bother – while de-horned at an early age, they can butt hard when a year old and still expecting to be fed something special.
Keith Sketchley
Saanich