• Cort@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Certainly not, if there’s any chance of endangered species visiting your berry patch

    • Rutty@sh.itjust.worksOP
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      2 months ago

      I agree here. What if the bird population wasn’t endangered and considered a pest?

      To be clear this is hypothetical. I haven’t done anything.

      • Foreigner@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        This is impossible to guarantee or control for. Birds migrate, you never know who might make a pitstop at your feeder. I’ve spotted birds that were so far off their normal range it created a buzz in the local birding community. There’s a non-zero chance something endangered or at least very rare could stop by your feeder.

        If you’re worried about making sure your cat gets enough stimulation there are a lot of articles and tips on things you can do that require little effort on your part (like, even a cardboard box full of crumpled paper can do the job).

      • Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        2 months ago

        You can’t guarantee that only “pest” birds (which still may be native, protected species) will visit your birdbath, or that they won’t carry some illness or parasite to pass on to your cat.

        • Rutty@sh.itjust.worksOP
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          2 months ago

          I’ll counter with. I have a vet. I am interested in birdwatching and the cats are only outside supervised.

          Good points.

          • Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            2 months ago

            Ask your vet if they think it’s a good idea to let your cat eat random wild birds during an outbreak of H5N1 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

            I like bird watching too, and it’s easier to do without a predator scaring them off.

            • Rutty@sh.itjust.worksOP
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              2 months ago

              I suppose you’re right.

              I doubt I want to deal with a dead bird anyway.

              You win the wisdom award. At least until I get bored and look up bird population parasite/diseases more in depth. Which I am unlikely to do.