The Last Flight of Floyd the Duck
Wednesday, March 9th
was a day like no other to us. And to Floyd.
Floyd Bennett was a
mallard duck in the large population that lives in Rockport’s Mill Pond. Floyd himself was assigned to the 117th
Duck Squadron stationed there.
On March 9th,
Floyd received his orders to fly to an unknown location. Everything went
according to plan that morning. The
usual duck activities in the Pond went on. Then a man came down to the Pond and
spread a layer of grain on the bank, and the ducks all trooped up to gorge
themselves on it. That was a mistake for
Floyd. Even though he had orders to fly shortly, he couldn’t help himself, and
he gorged on the tasty grain.
Then, at 12:45 EST it was
time for him to take off. With all that
grain in him it was hard to get airborne, and then he had trouble reaching his
ordered altitude. His flight plan from the Pond took him over the Union
Cemetery, across Union Lane, then between the houses at 6 and 8 Mill Lane, then
over 7 Mill Lane. He was up to speed, but he hadn’t climbed enough, and he flew
right into one of the upstairs windows at our house, 7 Mill Lane.
There was a loud
explosion. Men working across the lane came
running to see what had happened. Marty,
in No. 7, thought a gas bottle had exploded.
There was broken glass everywhere.
We had left the house at
6 that morning to travel to Boston for some medical tests, and had just
returned home when Floyd hit.
The duck did this
I saw glass—thousands of
tiny and not so tiny pieces all over the floor downstairs. Then I went upstairs and there was the
window, a small crank-open one, both inner and outer panes smashed. And there was glass everywhere. And grain everywhere.
And there was Floyd,
breathing his last breaths, 30 feet from the window. He had broken his neck when he hit the glass.
His bloody wings had brushed blood all across the ceiling, and he had obviously
unloaded all that grain in our bedroom.
He also unloaded his rear end, as well, on our bed.
Poor Floyd.
We really have too many
ducks living in that little Pond, but so many people like to feed the ducks,
and that creates a bad situation for the ducks, and for people.
First, if you feed ducks
white bread, they love it, but it does not provide them with necessary
nourishment, and only fills them up so they cannot eat what is necessary for
their health.
And feeding those ducks
all the time ensures that the Pond will be overcrowded with them. This leads to contamination of the water with
excessive feces.
Please join us in looking
after our wonderful treasure, Millbrook Meadow and Mill Pond.
Come
to Special Town Meeting on Saturday, April 2, 2016 at 9 a.m. and vote for funds
to start the dredging of the Mill Pond.
For
more information about your Meadow and Pond, see www.millbrookmeadow.org
---Sam
Coulbourn (With apology to the notable human aviator, Floyd Bennett)
Man
feeds ducks at Mill Pond
HERE IS SOME EXPERT ADVICE ON FEEDING OF WATERFOWL
The
Issue: It is traditional for people living in towns and
cities to stroll through the public parks and feed the ducks and geese. It is
widely believed that such activities are productive in that they offer
nutrition to waterfowl, present entertainment for the family, and in today’s
urbanizing society, provide an opportunity for people to interface with nature.
However, supplemental feeding of wild waterfowl has several negative
consequences that may not be readily apparent to the average citizen. These
repercussions may impact not only the ducks and geese, but also the regional
environment and public health.
Why supplemental feeding
of waterfowl should be banned: (1)
Overcrowding. In the wild, the term “carrying capacity” refers to the population
size for the species that can be supported indefinitely by the environment.
Supplemental feeding in public parks artificially raises the number of
individuals (ducks and geese in this case) beyond what the pond can normally
support. Increased waterfowl abundance leads to increased competition for food.
As a result, the weaker birds often sustain pecking injuries from more dominant
birds that can result in infection and a general failure to thrive. During the
spring breeding season, gangs of male ducks physically attack each other to get
access to female ducks. This not only leads to plucked featherless areas and
skin lacerations, but females often drown as they cannot escape the driven
males. Females that manage to escape the male ducks often nest up to a mile
away from the water but still within the confines of the town or city. This
abnormal nesting behavior puts them at risk of urban predators, vehicle
collisions and perils not associated with nesting in natural areas.
(2)
Habitat degradation. Large
numbers of ducks and geese in a small area can have a serious impact on the
surrounding environment. Feces generated by congregating waterfowl results in
increased deposition of carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen in the water and
surrounding grasslands. The addition of these nutrients to water (a process
known as eutrophication) promotes excessive algae growth leading to decreased
oxygen levels, foul-smelling green and cloudy water, fish kills, and an overall
decrease in water quality. In addition, some common algae species (blue-green
algae) produce toxins associated with illness in wildlife, humans, and pets.
Certain species of waterfowl may also be destructive to the environment by way
of their natural foraging strategies. Canada geese graze on grass and other
low-growing plants and, when in large flocks, often destroy lawns and gardens
surrounding city ponds. If these birds cannot find enough food, they often
migrate short distances to golf courses, sports fields and other grassy public
areas yet still use the public park as a “home base”. Increased waterfowl
populations can also lead to erosion of shorelines and a general negative
public opinion of ducks and geese. Disease among waterfowl Disease transmission
is better facilitated under dense population conditions. There have been
numerous outbreaks of botulism, avian cholera, duck plague (duck enteritis
virus), and aspergillosis (fungal infection) in city duck ponds that may have
been avoided if a ban on supplemental feeding existed. The intense competition
for poor quality food and other stressful interactions combine to suppress the
immune system’s ability to resist infection, thus promoting disease. It should
also be noted that unconsumed food scattered by people attracts scavengers such
as raccoons, opossums, crows, gulls, pigeons, etc, that may not be welcome in a
public park. Dense populations of these scavengers bring the potential for further
disease outbreaks such as the recent increase in rabies found in raccoons in
Manhattan’s Central Park.
(3) Dietary and Nutritional Problems.
Wild ducks and geese feed on a variety of natural foods, such as wild grains
and grasses, aquatic plants, and invertebrates. When eaten in combination,
these foods are nutritionally balanced and provide everything a wild duck or
goose needs to survive. In contrast, foods commonly fed to waterfowl in public
parks, such as bread, popcorn, and corn are typically low in protein and
essential nutrients and minerals (such as calcium and phosphorus) and result in
a variety of nutritional disorders. It is very common for waterfowl to be
admitted to wildlife rehabilitation centers suffering from metabolic bone
disease. These birds have incredibly soft bones and joints that are often
malformed and fractured. These injuries are caused by an overall calcium
deficiency in the body linked to an inappropriate diet. Calcium also plays a
crucial role in the formation of eggs/offspring, clotting ability,
cardiovascular and neuromuscular function, and a variety of other metabolic
activities. These birds are often so malformed they cannot fly and thus are
dependent on handouts, completing a vicious circle. Affected birds are typically
too weak to compete for food and defend themselves and are often the victims of
aggressive attacks by other ducks and geese. Another common presentation is
“Angel Wing”, a condition where flight feathers at the end of the wings are
twisted upwards. “Angel Wing” occurs when the weight of growing feathers causes
rotation of the wing tip by forces exerted on the underlying ligaments and
muscles. If caught in initial stages, waterfowl suffering from this condition
may be treated with splints to guide bone growth in the correct position.
Although there are several theories regarding the causes of “Angel Wing”, some
studies suggest that diets high in protein may be to blame. As such, well
meaning citizens feeding commercial duck, chicken or turkey rations to avoid
the “junk food” may be unintentionally creating this disorder. Finally, it
should be noted that many bread products expand in water (and thus the stomach)
giving waterfowl an artificial feeling that they are full. As a result, these
birds may not feel motivated to continue foraging on natural foods of higher
nutritional value.
(4) Habituation. In the wild, a healthy fear of humans and
other potential predators allows ducks and geese to survive and reproduce. In
public settings where waterfowl are fed artificial diets, these birds often
lose this fear and are more likely to be consumed by predators (feral cats,
dogs, foxes, raccoons, etc.). Urban waterfowl may also have higher incidence of
vehicle collision, chemical exposure, malicious attacks by humans, and entanglement
in litter. Large habituated geese may pose a significant public health threat
at certain times of the year if they are defending a nesting female or a brood
of goslings. These geese have the ability to break human bones with their
powerful wings.
(5) Delayed migration.
Supplemental feeding can interfere with normal migration patterns by delaying
departure or suspending the behavior altogether. These feeding sites may also
attract migrating waterfowl and even further inflate the local duck and geese
populations during certain times of the year. If it is a particularly harsh
winter, birds may perish when the water freezes or if feeding is suddenly
stopped depriving the birds of all forms of food. Alternatives The best
solution for waterfowl problems situated around public parks is to stop all
forms of supplemental feeding. Wild birds have evolved to survive in natural
conditions and do not benefit from handouts by the well-meaning public. To
avoid nutritional disorders and litter associated with feeding “junk food”,
some towns have installed grain or pellet dispensers in attempt to better serve
the ducks and the public. However, while these actions may help reduce dietary
disorders, they do nothing to prevent overcrowding, disease concerns, habitat degradation,
habituation, or the risks associated with delayed migration. Watching birds in
their native environment is a wonderful alternative to supplemental feeding in
public parks. Bird-watching allows participants to observe how waterfowl really
interact with their environment and is rarely associated with the risks to the
animals, environment and public found in public parks allowing supplemental
feeding. If one is compelled to feed animals, many zoos and related facilities
allow this activity in a regulated fashion. Although feeding waterfowl may seem
gratifying and beneficial, it is often associated with negative consequences
for the birds, the environment, and public health and should be discouraged
Dave McRuer MSc, DVM, Dipl. ACVPM Director of Wildlife Medicine
Wildlife Center of Virginia
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