Wildewood Wonders: Bird sightings by Beth, please don't feed the birds

Eastern Kingbird, All About Birds, The Cornell Lab of Orthinology

Photo by Beth Price

This bird is in the flycatcher family. "With dark gray upperparts and a neat white tip to the tail, the Eastern Kingbird looks like it’s wearing a business suit. And this big-headed, broad-shouldered bird does mean business—just watch one harassing crows, Red-tailed Hawks, Great Blue Herons, and other birds that pass over its territory. Eastern Kingbirds often perch on wires in open areas and either sally out for flying insects or flutter slowly over the tops of grasses. They spend winters in South American forests, where they eat mainly fruit." All About Birds

When I first moved to Wildewood Springs, I couldn't wait to put out bird feeders.

And then I learned that feeders were not allowed (in the Rules and Regulations). The plantings and setting provide food and shelter for wildlife. The HOA listens to wildlife professionals who encourage us to plant trees and plants that provide food for birds.

So, if you want to support wildlife in Wildewood Springs, please do not feed them.

“When people feed wildlife, the animals become dependent on and less wary of humans in general. The single person feeding the animal or bird isn't the only person affected by it, according to state game experts. One individual feeding wildlife is likely to cause problems for an entire neighborhood, because birds and animals don't understand fences or boundaries or rules, say wildlife officers.” Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Bird feeders not only attract birds close to units, but they also attract squirrels, raccoons, mice, rats, and opossums that clean up the bird seeds and food that have fallen on the ground.