NABU warning: Dangerous fat balls in plastic nets – act now!

NABU warning: Dangerous fat balls in plastic nets – act now!

During the cold season, the German Nature Conservation Association (NABU) calls for responsible use of bird food and warns against commercially available suet balls that are packed in plastic nets. These nets pose a real danger to birds as they can become entangled in them, particularly young birds as well as larger species such as magpies and corvids. A particularly critical point is that these empty nets often remain in the garden for decades and decompose into microplastics. The NABU therefore recommends switching to homemade fat balls, which can do without a net. An old cup can be used creatively to feed your feathered friends in an environmentally friendly way.

Fat balls are not only popular food balls, but also diverse in their contents. They consist of a mixture of fat and seeds, including sunflower seeds, oat flakes, minerals, vitamins and trace elements. With the right ingredients, bird lovers can create a nutritious mix. Especially during the cold months, these dumplings are crucial to the survival of many bird species, providing an important source of food at a time when natural resources may be depleted.

Environmentally friendly feeding alternatives

NABU recommends various methods for safely hanging netless suet balls. Feeders, spirals, or even wire containers made from old whisks can be a good solution. When buying bird seed, gardeners should make sure that it does not come with plastic nets. Many of the cheaper feed options contain a high proportion of wheat grains, which birds often don't like to eat.

We also need to consider the importance of year-round feeding. Ornithologists agree that feeding birds throughout the year makes sense to avoid food shortages. Therefore, multiple feeding places in the garden are recommended as this minimizes the risk of disease transmission at feeding places. However, the discussion about feeding birds remains complex, with some studies showing that it can even lead to changes in wild bird populations.

Plastic problem and its consequences

Another issue that cannot be ignored in the context of birds and their feeding is plastic pollution. Over 11 million tons of plastic end up in the world's oceans every year. This plastic material has a devastating impact on nature, especially seabirds, which often mistake plastic for food, which can lead to fatal consequences. As the WWF reports, the plastic in the birds' stomachs causes hunger, digestive blockages and even poisoning. Plastic waste on coasts can have a significant impact on seabird breeding, as many nests are built from waste, exposing the animals to dangerous environmental factors.

To counteract the flood of plastic, it's time to rethink your habits. By reducing single-use plastic, organizing cleanup campaigns on beaches and raising awareness about the use of environmentally friendly alternatives, we can make a decisive contribution to protecting our animals.

Overall, we are all called upon to act consciously and avoid using plastic both when feeding birds and in our everyday lives. We really care about the birds in our garden and nature as a whole.