Take a Loaf Off

"But he answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone."

- The Bible, Matthew 4:4

And, apparently, neither shall ducks.

With a few, monitored exceptions (like lorikeet aviaries and giraffe decks), we discourage feeding of zoo animals.  We also discourage the feeding of wild animals that happen to reside in our zoos.  Among the most plentiful of the later are mallards and Canada geese.  We tell people not to, both inside our gates and in the park outside, but they do it anyway.  After all, what's more pleasant than an afternoon in the park feeding the ducks?

Depends on what you feed them.

Bread is the preferred food for people to dispense to the waterfowl.  But it shouldn't be.  It's poor in nutritional value, leaves a soggy mess, and can lead to deformities in young, growing birds, such as angel wing.

Do you feel absolutely compelled to feed the birds?  First, don't do it in the zoo itself - we don't need any more of the little monsters attracted to our grounds.  Come to think of it, don't do it anywhere where it is permitted.  If you do feed them, give them something nutritious and healthy, like grapes, lettuce, or peas.  Feeding birds for our pleasure shouldn't come at the expense of their health and well-being.