Why Feeding Ducks Bread Isn’t As Noble As It Seems

When you see a sign at the park that says “Don’t Feed The Ducks,” your natural instinct might be to break off a piece of bread and feed the ducks. Why wouldn’t you want to make sure those feathered miscreants are fed and full?

Turns out, park authorities weren’t just putting up those signs to be jerk. There’s a reason you shouldn’t be feeding ducks bread.

According to IFL Science, continuously feeding ducks leds to them relying on humans for food rather than seeking out foods in their natural diets. They’ll quickly get addicted to the bread, which contains no nutritional value other than a high amount of calories.

In extreme cases, ducks can also develop a condition known as angel wing. Angel wing cause birds’ wings to point out laterally instead of coming down to rest against the body. Because of this, the birds are unable to fly which will sadly led to their deaths.

Bread, if uneaten by the ducks, can also begin to mold and contaminate the surrounding area.

All this can be avoided if you just eat that piece of bread yourself. Maybe some veggies after.