Consequences of 'Human kindness'

Some of the things we see more often than necessary are the tragic consequences of 'human kindness'. The result is more than often 'not kind'. Let's look at a couple of common scenarios that is unfortunately just that - too common.

Have you ever seen a swan with wings that seem to droop or grow out sideways, resembling the shape of an angel's wings? This deformity, known as "angel wing," is a heartbreaking condition that affects many waterfowl, including swans. While it may seem like a harmless act to feed these graceful birds bread, this seemingly innocent gesture can have devastating consequences.

Angel wing is a deformity of the outer wing joint(s) that causes the feathers on one or both wings to grow out sideways. Birds with angel wing will never fly and are often bullied and shunned by fellow swans. It can be evident in one or both wings, rendering the bird flightless for life.   

wildbirdrescues.com.au

Angel wing is primarily caused by a nutritional deficiency in vitamins and minerals combined with a high level of carbohydrates and sugars. While a number of factors are involved, human-fed bread is one of the primary culprits. Bread is a high-carbohydrate food that provides little to no nutritional value for swans. When swans are fed excessive amounts of bread, their diets become unbalanced, leading to deficiencies in essential nutrients.   

The effects of angel wing are particularly devastating for young cygnets. If a swan mother is fed a diet rich in bread during her pregnancy and while rearing her cygnets, the young birds are at a higher risk of developing this condition. Once a cygnet is born with angel wing, it is rarely curable, and in adult birds, it is incurable.

To prevent angel wing and protect the health of swans, it is crucial to avoid feeding them bread and other human foods. Instead, we can support their natural diet by providing them with a variety of nutritious alternatives, such as:

• Water plants: These provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

• Aquatic insects: These are a natural food source for swans.

• Grains: Whole grains, such as barley and wheat, can be offered in moderation.

• Commercial swan food: This specialized food is formulated to meet the nutritional needs of swans.

and STOP feeding the swans and ducks and any water birds nearly everything else really !

Another problem we have been seeing a lot of lately is fishing hooks entanglements in birds and especially our beautiful water birds. Those species that live near coastal areas, are often drawn to the sight of fishing gear. Unfortunately, this can lead to tragic and lethal consequence for the affected bird. Fishing hooks, in particular, pose a significant threat to these beautiful creatures.

A couple of very common scenarios of fishing hooks posing a significant threat is by

• Ingestion: Birds may mistake fishing hooks for food and accidentally swallow them. The hooks can become lodged in their throats, stomachs, or intestines, causing severe pain, infection, and even death.

• Entanglement: Birds can also become entangled in fishing lines, which can lead to injuries, loss of mobility, and starvation.

  
  

Pelicans are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of fishing hooks. Their long, narrow beaks make them more susceptible to swallowing hooks, and their large size and powerful flight can lead to serious injuries when they become entangled in fishing lines.

So for all humans out there .. whether recreational or otherwise, a little care and steps that can be taken to protect our precious water birds is by

• Proper Disposal of Fishing Line: Always dispose of fishing line responsibly. Never throw it into the water or leave it on the shore. There are many recycling programs for fishing line, so be sure to take advantage of them.

• Avoid Using Lead Sinker: Lead sinkers can be toxic to water birds if ingested. Choose non-toxic alternatives such as stainless steel or tungsten.

• Retrieve Lost Gear: If you lose a fishing rod or reel, make every effort to retrieve it. Lost gear can pose a serious threat to wildlife.

• Support Conservation Efforts: Donate to organizations that work to protect water birds and their habitats.

 A recent example is of a rescue last week of a black swan that had a hook entanglement. When it came to the rescue of this still flight capable bird, it took a lot of ingenuity, patience and experience to trap the swan to get it to a wildlife hospital for urgent care. Not only had the swan to be captured but its family as well had to go into care till the adult was healthy again. The cygnets would have been attacked and probably killed by rival swans had they been left without adult protection. This is the level of complexity wildlife rescuers face and just following some simple steps in very avoidable human behaviour would have mitigated this threat and the need for action.

Next time, lets talk about fly paper, rat poison and netting put over our garden trees and shrubs. Not cheery subjects but maybe it will make someone stop and think before they act and save an animal from a very distressing end.

Let's try and make this world a bit healthier for all creatures.

Small actions = huge consequences. Positive or negative? That is up to you.

That's a great mantra to reflect and end on.

Thank you for stopping by.

All images are AI generated