Feeding ducks is a great way for parents or grandparents to help young children connect with nature. For many people, this involves bringing along a loaf of bread and tearing off scraps to throw in the water. But this is a bad idea, animal protection experts say.
Bread is a totally unsuitable food for ducks, according to German animal protection organization Vier Pfoten. This is mainly because it can easily get stuck in their throats, leading to suffocation. When dry bread absorbs water, it can expand in the duck’s throat or stomach.
In any case, white bread contains no nutrients that are useful to ducks — and often contains salt, which can be harmful to them. Ducks and swans are designed to feed on grasses, insects, plants and aquatic animals — which they can easily find enough of in their natural environment.
But if you absolutely must feed the ducks, you should do it with a special feed for water birds, or fruit cut into small pieces. And instead of throwing it into the water, leave it on the bank for the ducks to dine on. – dpa
