By Laura Michell
A Sunbury resident is calling for greater education about the dangers of feeding ducks.
Alejandra Diaz said she had noticed an increase in the number of people feeding bread to the ducks and other wild birds at Sunbury’s Spavin Drive Lake in recent weeks.
Ms Diaz said feeding bread to the ducks was damaging to the lake’s ecosystem.
“We love to see the birds – they are beautiful – but if we want to continue seeing them, we have to let them find food themselves,” she said.
“They were not born eating bread.”
Ms Diaz said feeding the ducks and birds created a number of issues.
“It creates habits and stops them from finding natural food. It also creates vermin and algae, which is toxic,” she said.
“I don’t want to see the birds disappearing or getting sick.”
Ms Diaz said there was a small sign, near one of the entrances to the lake, warning people not to feed the ducks. However, she said additional signs needed to be put up around the lake and at the nearby playground.
In the past, Hume council has urged the community not to feed native birds and has information on its website about the dangers.
According to the council, feeding ducks increases bird populations and can cause aggression among the birds.
