Why you shouldn’t give bread to birds

In these anxious times, sun or no sun, going out for a walk quickly becomes a vital necessity. With my nose in the wind, I like to feel nothing other than the tall grass at my fingertips or the spring song of the birds in my ears. Finally a moment of disconnection, far from the worries of the world!

Until I saw a walker giving bread to ducks, swans, sparrows or pigeons. At this precise moment an abysmal dilemma opens up. Should I go about my way casually and “stay focused” (as they say) on my weightlessness project? Or approach me to raise awareness of the risks of this practice for wildlife?

Because bread only brings bad things to our feathered friends: stomach swelling, bone deformations, liver diseases, dehydration, kidney problems… Not to mention, on bodies of water, the excessive intake of nutrients (eutrophication) caused by uneaten bread which decomposes, causing algae and even cyanobacteria to flourish.

Giving away our buns that have become too dry, in an effort of good conscience so as not to have to throw them away, unfortunately remains a sport very practiced in good weather. It’s hard for us, increasingly alone humans, to stay on the edge of nature to simply look at it, without intervening or trying to feed it to attract animals and distract children. No doubt what is at stake here is a search for a link with living things that is still poorly adjusted. Come on, I’ll leave you, I’ll go back outside.