Exploring the motivations for garden bird feeding in south-east England

Abstract

2019. Exploring the motivations for garden bird feeding in south-east England. Ecology and Society 24(1):26. https://doi.ABSTRACT. The feeding of wild birds in domestic gardens is one of the most widespread and popular forms of human-wildlife interaction throughout the Western World. The increasing recognition of the benefits to human health and well-being of contact with nature, especially in an increasingly urbanized world, reveals the need for a greater understanding of why we engage in bird feeding. This will undoubtedly result in enhanced benefits of feeding to both people and to the biodiversity it supports. Our study aimed to explore the motivations behind wild bird feeding in south-east England through both qualitative and quantitative approaches. This involved a two-phase process: first, the dimensions of involvement were ascertained through semistructured interviews with 30 people engaged in feeding. Interrogation of their responses was used to construct an online questionnaire. A total of 563 respondents completed this survey. Analysis of their responses discerned a series of themes with the most salient being based on or directed toward: pleasure, bird survival, nurture, education of children, and connection with nature. These findings reveal that bird feeding is underpinned by a complex array of motivations and influences involving both personal and environmental benefits.

Knowledge of Nature and the Nature of Knowledge: Student natural history knowledge and the significance of birds

“…The advocacy role of family in our study was especially strong in the urban context where family was a highly significant contributor to student knowledge. In an urban context, with fewer opportunities to encounter nature, this advocacy may simply take the form of legitimating the exploratory or enquiring behaviour of young children towards natural objects, for example by setting up bird feeders (Clark et al, 2019). However, the foundational role of family in stimulating young peoples' interest in nature is underlined by the compensatory listing of teachers as a principal influence when familial influence was lacking (Table 3).…”

“…And this can begin at home; a bird feeding table provides an early and prolonged focus for many children and young people in many households (Clark et al, 2019). Unsurprisingly then, the cultural significance of birds is itself of a different order in the affairs of humans than that of any other taxa (Tidemann & Gosler, 2010).…”

How might everyday experiences shape biodiversity understanding? A perspective to spark new research.

“…There may be few environmental sustainability considerations when people choose their diets and there is a dietary delocalization, which is proven to be both environmentally damaging and unhealthy (Rose et al, 2019;van der Horst et al, 2011). Yet, it seems that many people yearn for contact with nature (Clark et al, 2019). At the same time many species of crops, vegetables and fruits are underused in global diets, and within the ones being used the same occurs to varieties (FAO et al, 2017).…”

Behaviour of two species of psittacine birds at wild bird feeding sites in Australia

“…In Queensland, where Crimson Rosellas were observed using the feeding site often, only 49.25% and 51.19% were observed foraging every day in autumn and spring, respectively. In total (over both sites and seasons), 13…”