garden birds

Charlie Moores in conversation with  Dr Alex Lees, Senior Lecturer in Conservation Biology at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Recently Alex and Dr Jack Shutt published a paper that was widely reported in the mainstream media titled “Killing with kindness: Does widespread generalised provisioning of wildlife help or hinder biodiversity conservation efforts?”  That’s quite a striking headline, isn’t it? Providing for wildlife may be harming species of conservation concern.

The abstract of this paper is even more thought-provoking, “Generalised provisioning is enthusiastically promoted by many conservation organisations as a means to foster connection with nature and help wildlife. However, such a vast input of additional resources into the environment must have diverse, ecosystem-wide consequences….Using a case study of UK garden bird food and nestbox provisioning, we hypothesise how well-intentioned provisioning could be contributing to widespread ecological community change and homogenisation. This may consequently help drive declines in species of conservation concern by asymmetrically benefitting common and adaptable species, leaving their competitors exposed to enhanced direct competition, hyperpredation, mesopredator release and heightened disease transmission risks.”

In very simple terms, then, the paper is asking whether providing wildlife with extra resources like food and nesting sites could be having a negative impact on some declining species – which, if you feed your garden birds like I do, is – well, food for thought…

• Biological Conservation Sept 2021  Killing with kindness: Does widespread generalised provisioning of wildlife help or hinder biodiversity conservation efforts? (Jack D.Shutt and Alexander C.Lees)
• Follow Dr Alex Lees on Twitter
• See also Interview #03 Dr Alex Lees | Conservation vs Animal Rights Activism?

Dan Rouse is a famed ornithologist, wildlife presenter and author. We encouraged her away from the South Wales Coast, and her binoculars, to talk to us all about how to attract birds to our own gardens.

We learn the secrets of her daily wildlife-friendly gardening routine, what she's noticed most about lockdown and birdlife in Wales, and how and why she's helping farmers to encourage owls onto their farmland.

Find out more about our Wildlife Community podcast on our website. 

In this episode Ricky and Niall chat all things nest boxes. We chat about how to provide good nest box  accommodation for your garden birds, from how to build them, where to hang them and when to clean them. 

We also discuss nest boxes for Swifts and Barn Owls which are species of high conservation concern who can be helped by the provision of specialised nest boxes. 

The Species of the Week is the Blue Tit, a regular nest box resident and garden favourite. 

This Podcast is brought to you by BirdWatch Ireland, Laois and Offaly County Councils and the Keep Well Campaign, an initiative of the Government of Ireland with funding from the Healthy Ireland Fund and the Sláintecare Fund delivered by Pobal.

The In Your Nature Podcast is edited by AnnMarie Kelly