Feeding wild birds concentrated honey backfired when one wattle bird became
A Melbourne man learned that artificial food sources corrupt wild bird behaviour, turning one into an aggressive territorial bully.
A Melbourne man put out honey to help native birds through winter. Local grevilleas had not flowered.
Wally, a wattle bird, arrived thin and grew plump. Wally even chased off invasive mynas at first.
Wally then claimed the honey dish as his own territory. He attacked his own species and wrestled other birds like currawongs and butcherbirds away from the food.
When the man hid the dish hoping Wally would return to normal, Wally turned hostile. The bird dive-bombed him repeatedly.
The man realised he had corrupted Wally's natural need to save energy. The artificial, concentrated food source was the cause.
Wally used it to build his advantage over others. The man is now trying a different approach.
He spreads offerings where they cannot be hoarded. He is trying to restore nature's normal way.
- bay-side suburb of Melbourne
- Location
- currawong, grey butcherbird, wattle birds
- Bird species attacked
- artificial concentrated food source
- Cause
Why it mattersShows how well-meaning wildlife feeding can create unintended behavioural problems and reshape the natural hierarchy of native species.
AustraliaA lesson for Australian backyard bird-feeders that artificial food sources, especially concentrated ones, can change native bird behaviour in unexpected ways.
