The difference is when 'human' food is a supplement or a replacement. The odd chip is not going to kill a gull, they are naturally scavengers rather than fish hunters and potatoes are organic things... grapes, breadcrumbs and bacon rinds are also reasonably organic and full of goodness. The danger comes when these 'human' foods are the sole source of nutrition. Ducks that eat little else but bread crusts are in danger of becoming malnourished - just like humans if they eat nothing else but rabbit meat. It will fill their bellies but it doesn't provide vital nutrients and in smaller ducks has the potential to be hazardous if stale bread is given.

Chimpanzees are considered to be vegetarian and passive, but they've been filmed hunting down and eating smaller monkeys in their natural habitat.. on the whole, animals know what they need - just like we'll have a craving for salty snacks or a glass of water - they get what they can, whilst they can get it.

This is why it's important to have a variety of foods available for your birds. If you put out crusts, sooner or later, you'll only get birds that can eat/digest crusts. Put out nijer, sunflower and other seeds, you'll get a variety.

I added a house sparrow to the list, he was on the new feeder about 20 mins ago.. he looked a lot happier with this style of feeder because it has little perches that he can sit on to eat - the others he had to hover and he wasn't very good at that.

I also broke the ice on the pond for them, but I doubt they'll want a bath....

LTS