Parrots do not necessarily attract snakes, but having a bird feeder at home could give rise to the snake problem. Snakes get attracted rodents and squirrels that come to feed on bird feed that falls on the ground.
You can blame it on the food chain chronology because bird feeds are a source of food for rodents and squirrels, and they, in turn, are the food source of snakes.
How Do Bird Feeders Attract Critters And Snakes?
Bird feeders, along with feeding birds, invite critters and rodents to feed on the food that falls on the ground. One thing leads to another when the snakes get lured towards the creatures feeding on bird feed.
Along with owning a parrot at home, you see no harm in feeding wild parrots and other birds. While having the best interest for birds, you decided to place a few birdfeeders on the front porch.
Everything goes to your plan when you take joy in watching the birds flying to your front porch to take their fill. Until one day, you run into a big fat rodent nibbling away the seed that fell from the bird feeder. And if such an incident happens once, it is sure to happen again.
But that’s not the end of it. Your yard’s ecosystem takes a more severe impact when you see a snake following one of the frequent visitor rodents. That’s when you realize you have made a haven for not only birds but every other unwanted creature.
Why Keeping A Bird Feeder For Parrots And Other Birds Is Not A Good Idea
Keeping bird feeders for parrots or other birds will lead to a rise in the population of carnivores. Who doesn’t love birds flying around and chirping in their yard? But along with birds, you invite a whole range of other creatures when you keep bird feeders.
While you think you are helping the birds, you may be causing them more harm instead. As per a study, the bird feeds you provide to birds act as supplementary food and can hamper the mating practice in male birds. Moreover, bird feeds are easy food and can hinder the young bird’s ability to sustain when there is a dearth of food supply for them.
Birds also come in close contact with one another when feeding on the food you provide. This process may lead to the birds spreading diseases to their kind with their droppings on the bird feeder.
Lastly, the AWLA of Oregon has a convincing argument for not keeping a bird feeder. Birds are typically self-sufficient, and they don’t need our help. They may, although, need extra feeding only during harsh and scare winters.
How To Keep Your Parrot Away From Attracting Snakes And Rodents
Keeping your home and parrot cage clean is the most critical step to keeping rodents away. Having rodents at home will invite snakes and other creatures too.
If you intend to feed wild parrots and other birds, here are some good practices you can follow with keeping a bird feeder.
- Avoid feeding in summer because you are only adding to abundance. It may be the ideal time to bird-watch but remember that birds are excellent scavengers and do great with hunting for food. Let’s put aside our whims and fancy to avoid unwanted creatures that tag along with birds.
- Try keeping the bird feeder clean. You can regularly replace old feeds while disinfecting the feeder to ward off diseases.
- You can avoid spillage by not overfilling the feeder. More food means more of it will fall on the ground inviting rodents and critters, and then the creepy crawlies that follow.
- Another effective way to prevent feeds from falling on the ground is using a tray. Putting a tray under the feeder will help catch most of the seeds that fall if not all. Moreover, it will help you reduce waste, make cleaning more manageable, and will keep uninvited guests at bay up to an extent.
- Picking the right seed will help in reducing waste. When you use any grain, the birds may not like it and may discard most of it on the ground. And more food on the earth is an invitation to rodents, squirrels, and snakes. If you are not sure which kind to buy, here are some options.
You may also read : Do Parrots Attract Cockroaches?
FAQs
Q. Should I worry about birds spreading diseases?
A. As much as we love birds around us, they can carry some serious diseases such as the Avian pox virus, Salmonellosis, and Trichomoniasis, and of course, bird mites. Their feces aren’t only a nuisance but a carrier of these diseases. Moreover, along with the birds you want in your yard, several undesirable creatures and problems flock together.
Q. Does keeping bird feeders for parrots, and other birds hamper the ecosystem?
A. Birds are natural scavengers. And by providing them easy food, we are affecting their scavenging habits. As part of the food chain hierarchy, birds are supposed to feed on worms and insects. And by filling them with supplementary bird feeds, we only allow their natural diet to grow in numbers.
In simple words, we disrupt how nature plays its role in maintaining a balance in the ecosystem. Imagine the insects and spiders growing in population and infesting, which otherwise could have been in control by birds.
Conclusion
Keeping a parrot is one’s choice, and so is keeping a bird feeder. But one must be willing to take the onus of being responsible while fulfilling the need to feed wild parrots and birds. As stated above in this article, a little planning and maintenance will go a long way in preventing unwanted guests.
Let’s sum up with the question at hand if parrots attract snakes. No, parrots don’t attract snakes, but rodents and critters do, who feed on your bird’s food. The bird feeders you keep on the front porch acts as a buffet service for rodents, and they, in turn, attract snakes. The availability of food for birds then gives rise to insects growing in numbers.
