Experts advise against feeding black kites
Some Genevans have got into the habit of feeding black kites, these birds of prey present in Switzerland between March and August for the breeding season. The practice is not recommended by specialists.
We recognize the black kites by their concave tail and their chocolate color.
CHRIS BLASER
They are recognized by their concave tail and their chocolate color. The black kites, raptors and highly migratory birds, are well known in Switzerland and particularly at the end of the lake, which has “almost a fifth of the Swiss population” according to the canton’s website. A presence that can be explained quite simply by “the strong nutritional potential of the area”, points out Patrick Jacot, manager of the Ornithological Rehabilitation Center in Genthod. This potential would allow the birds to find everything they need to be able to eat properly.
However, many people who are fond of, or simply admire, have got into the habit of feeding them. A practice strongly discouraged by specialists. “We do not have a strict legal basis for prohibiting the feeding of black kites in Geneva, outside the reserves, but we strongly advise against it”, recognizes Gottlieb Dändliker, cantonal wildlife inspector.
“Black kites are scavenger and opportunistic birds,” he continues. They feed on what they find (Editor’s note: fish corpses, waste, small animals…) and, in that, it is not dramatic to feed them. The problem would be to create a dependency on humans or to feed them with foods that are unsuitable for their organism and it is not for humans to feed wild animals.
More harm than good
Although they are not in favor of this practice, the two specialists nevertheless give some advice to those who continue to feed these birds of prey. “It is forbidden to feed them in airport areas because of the high risk of accident”, begins Patrick Jacot.
And Gottlieb Dändliker to insist on another point: “Those who feed them must be aware that they expose themselves to prosecution, in particular from the veterinary services, because it is often a question of the distribution of pieces of meat. These easily escape from the beaks of black kites to land in fields or other areas frequented by the public and wildlife, creating a health risk.
The problem is also on the side of relations between neighborhoods. “There are neighborhoods where people throw food out of windows to attract birds and watch them fly. If some admire the show, others are not always delighted with this presence”, concludes Patrick Jacot. Several cases have already been reported in the canton.
You found an error?Please let us know.