Is bird feeding prohibited in Toronto? It is confusing. It is complicated. It seems like different places have different rules. But most rules and regulations are similar; the main point is, don’t feed wildlife.
According to the City of Toronto website, the city is currently reviewing the Animal Bylaw, which aims to better the coexistence of humans and wildlife and improve the quality of animal welfare. Currently, intentional feeding of wildlife is only prohibited in city parks, but not in other areas like public or private properties in Toronto. Read more here.
However, many municipalities in Ontario currently restrict the feeding of wildlife. In Hamilton, if you feed wildlife, fines of up to $10,000 for your first time and up to $25,000 for a subsequent conviction are possible. Specifically, about feeding birds, you can feed birds if the bird is on your property, you do not let bird poop pile up, and it does not disturb your neighbours. Read more here.
In Mississauga, there are requirements for feeding songbirds, e.g. Seeds should be placed properly so that other wild animals would not have access to the feeding device. And, seed spillage upon the ground should be removed by the proper owner so that it would not attract wild animals. Read more here.
For London, there is also an online file about the feeding of wildlife regulations. Nuisance feeding of wildlife can be defined as excessive accumulation of food, unreasonable interference with the normal use of nearby premises, etc. Read more here.
Well, unless you own and live on a vast piece of land, you are bound to have neighbours around, and it isn’t uncommon to have one or two grumpy neighbours who like to complain about a thing or two. Also, have you ever encountered birds which don’t spill seeds around? And then, there are quite a few articles on the news about people getting warned or fined for wildlife feeding.
A Windsor couple who has been feeding birds for 22 years is now required to move their bird feeders because of a complaint from their neighbour. After all, it isn’t easy to find a bird feeder where you can put the seed and it doesn’t spill to the ground. Read more here.
A Vaughan couple was fined $615 for feeding squirrels in their backyard. Based on a neighbour’s complaint, the Vaughan couple had a visit from a bylaw officer who issued a ticket after the couple received a warning to stop feeding the animal. Read more here.
There are always pros and cons to everything. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of bird feeding.
More than a decade ago, there was an article about the therapeutic benefits of feeding birds. It mainly targets the residents of assisted living homes. Still, the benefits extend to all ages of people who feed birds in their backyards. It provides residents, especially those with dementia or Alzheimer’s, a sense of happiness to care for something, a connection to the outside world, and a reduction of isolation and depression. Read more here.
Bird feeding can help with insect control; birds don’t just consume the seeds you provide; they also feast on insects, worms, and snails in your landscape. That’s the perfect organic pest control with no need for toxic insecticides or other harmful chemicals. Read more here.
An interesting article titled “More birds make you as happy as more money”. That sounds a bit weird, right? A study has shown that the presence of birds has economic value. If you live near 14 or more bird species, it correlates with as much as a boost in happiness as earning an extra $190 more each month, based on a monthly income of $1837. Read more here.
So, pros or cons? You either like it or don’t. A councillor has proposed a motion to ban pigeon feeding in both public and private spaces in the city of Toronto. Does it make sense? Is that even possible to feed on all types of birds except one, i.e. feed the others and only shoo pigeons away?
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