Springtime is in full swing in the Triad. Dogwoods are blooming, birds are singing and native animals are venturing out foraging for food. That had WFDD’s David Ford wanting to know more about how to responsibly support the wildlife around us. He explores that on this week’s edition of Carolina Curious.
A lot of people think about feeding wildlife in the same way they think about feeding their pets, but that can actually do a lot of harm.
To begin with, in spring, many of our wildlife species are raising their young. North Carolina Wildlife Extension Biologist Falyn Owens says part of that includes teaching them how to identify nutritious foods in the wild and where to find them.
"When we put food out for wild animals, what we're doing is we are giving these animals the opportunity to teach their young, not where to find natural foods, but where to find these human-provided foods that then will sort of create a population of animals that don't know where to find those natural foods," says Owens.
Owens adds that a wild animal’s natural diet is important for their health. Replacing a deer’s daily intake of branches and leaves with apples or corn handouts can make them sick. When ducks or geese switch from an aquatic vegetation and grass diet to bread and crackers, it can contribute to a bone deformation condition called angel wing that prevents them from flying.
"The general rule of thumb is you want to provide foods that are as close to the natural foods that those animals would be finding out in the woods or out in nature as we can possibly get," she says. "And really, the best way to do that is by growing native plants in our own yards."
She says plantings like oak trees and wildflowers that create birdseed naturally may take time, but the payoff is well worth it.
"You might be surprised at what kind of wildlife you find there," she says. "And they're thriving and doing their own thing and engaging in their natural behaviors in a different way than what you see when animals are just coming to a pile of food."