Wildlife Wednesday 04/23/2025

Happy #WildlifeWednesday! It is almost the delightful time of year known as “baby bird season” and geese and ducks can be spotted swimming and waddling around with their numerous adorable offspring in tow. 

Canada Geese and Mallards are the most common waterfowl that make their homes at TWC’s Wilderness Lake and it can be tempting for our visitors to feed them.

Popular culture has historically depicted tossing bread, crackers, and popcorn to the endearing goslings and ducklings as appropriate, but human food is very harmful to wild animals. These products are filling but do not have many nutrients, so feeding them to waterfowl prevents the birds from finding the healthy food in nature they need to grow and survive. Improper diets can also lead to serious health problems, such as metabolic bone disease and angel wing syndrome.

Allowing waterfowl to forage for natural provisions on their own is best, but if you do choose to feed them do so in moderation and take care to offer a nutritious selection. Instead of processed junk food, feed them chopped leafy greens, shredded vegetables (carrots are a good choice), sliced fruits (grapes and berries), grains, oats, and bird seed. Healthy food for our wild waterfowl residents is also available in our Interpretive Building.