Bird lovers' feathers ruffled after being told not to feed migratory birds

[Shiloh]

Source: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/perspectives/news/20081120p2a00m0na002000c.html

Bird lovers' feathers ruffled after being told not to feed migratory birds

The wild bird researcher and poet Godo Nakanishi once uttered these famous words: "Birds of the wild (should be) in the wild. Birds should be wild birds." He even coined the word "yacho" as a term to denote "wild bird." Indeed, when he founded the Wild Bird Association of Japan (Nihon Yacho no Kai) in 1934, the word "yacho" was so unfamiliar that many people read it as "nodori."

Up until that point in time, the Japanese had looked upon birds as something either to be eaten or to be put into cages. Godo urged people to "trample on their bird cages, and to go into the wild to appreciate birds in their natural state. That is what bird loving is all about." (As cited in "No no Tori wa No Ni" (Wild Birds to the Wild) by Teruyuki Kobayashi.) Today, the term "wild bird" is widely used, and Godo's bird loving philosophy, which requires that the distance of nature separate humans from birds, is widely accepted. But from time to time, questions are raised about where to draw the line between what humans should or should not do in order to protect wild birds.

This spring, after the deadly avian influenza (bird flu) virus was detected in swans in the Tohoku region, bird lovers began to refrain from their custom adhered to for many years of feeding migratory birds. Areas which until last year had been used to feed birds as a tourist attraction are now being roped off to prevent people from approaching the water.

Experts say that feeding birds encourages large flocks to congregate in particular areas, increasing the risk of infection. On the other hand, we can sympathize with the dismay of the citizens' groups that have fed birds for many years and now worry that the birds may not be getting enough to eat. It is essential to adopt a measured response that takes into consideration the birds' need for food as well as the risk.

At a time when bird lovers are asked to refrain from feeding the wildlife, a bird-watching group in Miyagi Prefecture that observes geese from a distance of several hundred meters has had to cancel some of their events because they can't draw enough participants. Apparently, some people have overreacted to the bird flu virus and now view birds as "scary." This winter would be a good time to consider how to respond to the bird flu virus and the impact of feeding them on the ecosystem, and to rethink what the proper distance to maintain between wild birds and humans should be. ("Yoroku," a front-page column in the Mainichi Shimbun)

(Mainichi Japan) November 20, 2008

 

[tropical]

Re: Bird lovers' feathers ruffled after being told not to feed migratory birds

It's an old custom that even hunters created special feeding points for all wild animals in the hunting sector when winter is coming, not for hunt them down there, but to help the wild animals to survive, especialy in today environment which is truly debalanced, and many feeding species decreased, or vanished.

Forcing the touristic part of humans by not feeding wild birds can be maybe allowed, if it is realy neccessary, in a hot zone.

But forbid it to special groups of people, as dedicated bird watchers/researchers/helpers/hunters to feed them in an harsh environment, or climatic cycle, is not neccessary, nor good, looking that in fact, the infections by bird flu comming from poultry flocks settlements.

If somebody from the above group think diferently, a filtering mask can be wore during the distribution of the feed.

Personaly I already feed them now in few places during the autumn/winter months.

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Bird lovers' feathers ruffled after being told not to feed migratory birds

Swans flying in from around the country, and refrain from feeding a series of the ban.

以前から生態系を乱すと疑問視する声はあったが、自治体、市民団体などが鳥インフルエンザへの警戒を強めたことから動きが広まった。れば、ハクチョウの繁殖率に影響するとの指摘もある。​

However, the expansion of the ban on feeding can affect the reproductive rate of swans have said.

諏訪湖、上川と飛来地を抱える諏訪地方。​

Suwa, Kamikawa Suwa region have land and by air.

鳥インフル問題を機に、餌付けの是非や野生動物との付き合い方を改めて考える。​

INFURU machine bird problem, the feeding of wild animals and whether and how to re-think the relationship.

「鳥インフルの問題も出てきており、いずれは餌やりを止めなければいけないと感じている。しかし、急にはできない」。​

"INFURU bird came out of the question, and one must stop the feeding and feel. However, not sudden."

今月１１日、諏訪湖漁協との話し合いを終えた上川白鳥の会の塩沢恒登会長（６８）＝諏訪市＝がつぶやいた。​

11, 2007 this month, after talks with the fishing cooperatives Suwa Kamikawa Swan, chairman of Noboru Hisashi Shiozawa (68) = Suwa City, possibly muttered.

諏訪湖に流入する上川には今季まで、１６シーズン連続で「冬の使者」が飛来。

​

Kamikawa Suwa to flow into the season, 16 seasons in a row, "messengers of winter" flying.

同会が観察、餌やりなどの世話を続けている。​

The committee observed, continued to feed and care for.

だが、漁協は餌やりに反対の立場だ。​

However, the fishing cooperatives are opposed to feeding.

「上川はワカサギの採卵河川。餌やりとふんで水質が悪化し、ワカサギの遡上に悪影響を及ぼしている」。​

"Hypomesus olidus Kamikawa of the river egg. Droppings and feed the deterioration of water quality in the Hypomesus olidus adverse effect on the

遡."

鳥インフル問題にも触れ、「諏訪で発生したとなれば、観光面にも影響する」と自粛を求めた。​

INFURU bird touched on the issue, "said Suwa occur, it will also affect tourism in terms of" self-restraint.''

ただ、ハクチョウとの触れ合いを毎年楽しみにする人は多く、子どもからお年寄りまで大勢に自然学習の場や癒やしを提供してきた。​

However, the swans every year and look forward to contact a lot of people, from children to elderly people in many places and natural healing and learning has to offer.

「餌やりを中止すれば飛来は減り、そのうち来なくなる」。​

"If you stop feeding the reduced flying,来NAKU of them.

"

会員の１人はそう懸念し、「居なくなった方が、観光に打撃を与えるのでは」と漏らした。

​

That is one of the members concerned, "was how oneself invisible, but a blow to tourism in the" leaked.

春に北海道と東北地方でハクチョウから鳥インフルエンザウイルス（Ｈ５Ｎ１型）が相次いで確認され、餌付け禁止・自粛の動きに拍車を掛けた。​

Hokkaido and the Tohoku region in the spring from the bird flu virus in the swans (H5N1 type) have been confirmed in a series, and refrain from feeding ban to accelerate the movement multiplied.

餌付けで野鳥が１カ所に集中してしまうと、集団感染のリスクが高まる│と専門家は指摘する。​

In the feeding of birds to concentrate in one place, they increase the risk of infection │ population, experts say.

ウイルスに感染した野鳥のふんなどが靴底に付着し、養鶏場に運ばれる恐れもあり、ウイルスの変異で人間に感染する新型インフルエンザの発生も懸念される。​

Droppings of infected birds and then attached to the soles, could be transported to a poultry farm in infections of the virus to mutate into a human outbreak of avian flu is a concern.

岡谷市の横河川河口。​

横河川

estuary of the city of Okaya.

毎冬数百羽が羽を休める県内有数の飛来地だ。​

Every winter, hundreds of birds flying wings resting place of one of the most prefecture.

諏訪湖白鳥の会は手袋やマスク、専用の長靴を用意し、「自己防衛をしっかりしたい」とする。​

Suwa gloves and a mask of a swan, only to have the boots, "to a firm self-defense."

湖岸には野鳥へ安易に近付かないよう求める看板やロープを設置しているが、白田正夫会長（６１）＝下諏訪町＝は「我々が一般客の心配までしていいかどうか?」と困惑する。​

To shore birds like to ask近付KANAI easy to set up a rope and a sign that President Masao Shirota (61) = Shimosuwa town = "Our customers generally have to worry about whether or not good ..." and confused.

餌やりは、時間を決め、鳥の数に応じた量で続けていくつもりだ。​

Feeding a set time, according to the number of birds will continue in volume.

諏訪湖ではハクチョウの好物である水生植物が回復しつつあるが、「まだ十分ではなく、補助的な餌やりが必要」。​

Suwa is the favorite of swans and aquatic plants are recovering, but "not yet sufficient, supplementary feeding is required.

"

水辺に自然があふれ、湖のどこにでもハクチョウが見られるようになった時に初めて、餌やりを止められると考えている。​

Filled with natural water, the swans at the lake where they had seen during the first feeding is considered to be stopped.

日本野鳥の会諏訪支部によると、１９７４―７５年に諏訪湖に飛来したコハクチョウ２羽による越冬が　、県内初のことだった。​

Suwa branch of the Wild Bird Society of Japan, according to Suwa ,1974-75, flying to the two wings of the tundra swan wintering, but it was the first prefecture.

その後、県内餌付けの?走り?ともなり、越冬地として定着。​

Then, feeding the prefecture's "run" sympathy, established as a wintering spot.

観光名所としてにぎ　わう一方、見物客による無秩序な餌やりが長年にわたって問題化する。​

The right side NIGI as tourist attractions, unregulated feeding by visitors over the years to the problem.

「野生鳥類が本来の野性味を失ってしまうほか、自らで餌を取る能力をなくす」。​

"Wild birds should lose the taste of the wild, and his ability to get rid of the food."

県鳥獣保護員の三村宏司さん（７４）＝諏訪市＝は、過度な餌やりはハクチョウにとっても不幸なことと訴える。​

Hiroshi Mimura County's pet protection of workers (74) = Suwa-shi-overfarming, and feed the swans and unfortunate for the appeal.

同 支部の林正敏支部長（６４）＝岡谷市＝は「冬場の餌の量は繁殖率につながり、ピタッと止めるのは良くない」と白鳥の会の活動に理解を示した上で、「本当は 自然の姿を楽しむのが一番。自然の餌でハクチョウが暮らせる環境づくりを進め、段階的に餌付けを止めていくべきだ」との認識を示す。​

Satoshi Akira Hayashi, a branch of the branch (64) = Okaya City = "The amount of food in winter lead to a rate of breeding, and quite right to stop the bad," Swan said of understanding on activities, " Really enjoy the sight of nature's best. Swans in the nature of the live bait working environment, step-by-step should be to stop feeding, "he understood that.

「人間と野生動物の距離を保つということが、今ほど問われている時はない。鳥インフル問題で考えるチャンスが与えられた。一定の距離を持って見つめるのが大事。見物客も考えてほしい」。​

"The distance between humans and wild animals to keep, but now when it is not questioned. INFURU in birds given a chance to think. Watching with a certain distance of the important. Visitors to the I hope "

http://www.nagano-np.co.jp/modules/news/article.php?storyid=12593

 

[tropical]

Re: Bird lovers' feathers ruffled after being told not to feed migratory birds

"Droppings of infected birds and then attached to the soles, could be transported to a poultry farm in infections of the virus to mutate into a human outbreak of avian flu is a concern."

Very remote possibility.
Instead, more probably is joint feeding/swimming of wild birds, and goose/ducks in water places, or country ponds.

More the wild birds would be starving, more they would search for rural poultry feeding places.
It's better to provide them with additional food in wild places if they starving.

It means not public feeding if forbiden, but from the dedicated park/area rangers/hunters ...