Does Traditional Feeding of Outdoor Guard Dogs Provide a Food Resource for Wild Mammals and Birds?

Abstract

Access to food is crucial in the life of birds and affects reproduction, survival and, consequently, population size. In the case of bird species inhabiting villages, poorer food conditions now exist, mainly because of changes in the lifestyle of rural residents and a reduction in the number of farm animals traditionally housed in backyards. Recent changes have also affected dog populations in villages, and the majority of them are no longer kept outside as guard dogs, but rather inside houses as pets. We investigated how traditional care of dogs impacted rural birds and other animal populations. The study was carried out at the end of winter and early spring in 29 farmsteads in western Poland. Using camera traps, it was found that the food fed to dogs was also taken by seven species of birds and at least three species of mammals. The most numerous species taking dog food was the house sparrow, Passer domesticus, which is declining in Europe. In the case of this species, females were more likely than males to use food given to dogs, with a clear preference for food prepared in the human kitchen. We conclude that the food provided to domestic pets can be an important component of the diet of wild birds and mammals living close to humans.

Habitat selection by invaders: Avoiding natural habitats by the red‐whiskered bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus

“…It's important to emphasize that the only selected variable within the model of anthropogenic variables was the presence of dogs, despite its exclusion from the final model. This variable could serve as a source of trophic resources (dog food) for the species, which may help explain the observed increase in red‐whiskered bulbul abundance in the presence of dogs as indicated in the group model (Andrzejczak et al, 2021).…”

Eating in the city: Experimental effect of anthropogenic food resources on the body condition, nutritional status, and oxidative stress of an urban bioindicator passerine

“…obs. ), and pet food is part of their urban diet (Andrzejczak et al, 2021;Bower, 1999). This food represents an urban diet that is very rich in protein and high in fats but is poorer in refined carbohydrates than the bar diet (Table 1; Supporting Information: Table S1).…”

“…The aim of the present study was to experimentally determine the effects of two food types that House Sparrows find in abundance in urban ecosystems on their physical condition, plasma biochemical nutritional parameters, and blood oxidative status. City sparrows frequently feed on human leftovers (Haemig et al, 2015) and pet food is also part of their urban diet (Andrzejczak et al, 2021; Bower, 1999; Lendvai & Chastel, 2008). These two urban food types are mostly opposite in composition.…”