After the monthly Riverwalk Commission meeting on Sept. 11, a couple members met with me and the subject of feeding wildlife came up regarding a recent photo of a family feeding ducks a big loaf of white bread near the Eagle Street Bridge. Coincidentally, a news report from Oregon had been broadcast repeatedly on the radio about the dangers of ducks ending up with “Angel Wing Syndrome.” I wondered about Naperville wildlife.
Tiffani Picco, Park Operations Manager for the Riverwalk, was pleased to report she hasn’t seen as many families feeding wildlife this year.
Perhaps finally the posted signs and stamped messages along the low-flow walk are helping to educate families who enjoy watching wildlife be wild in a natural habitat along the DuPage River. By not feeding ducks and geese, the waterfowl will migrate and not leave as many daily unhealthful messes along the walks that need constant clean-up attention for park district workers.
Then yesterday a couple of emails arrived, one with a header “Our Goose Is Cooked” and another saying “We’re Sitting Ducks.” After a few chuckles relating to other matters, timing just seemed right to remind folks why it’s not good for humans to feed ducks, geese and other wildlife.
For more than two decades, Riverwalk devotees and this publication have worked with the Naperville Park District to heighten awareness about the harm caused to wildlife when they are fed high calorie, processed human snacks and bread.
On occasions when folks have been feeding wildlife and are directed to the posted signs that say “Please do not to feed wildlife,” some of them get defensive. Sometimes they reply with something like, “Well, I fed them when I was kid and I loved doing it. I wanted to have fun feeding the ducks with my kids.”
Stories from Maine to Oregon are featured online about the harm caused to ducks and geese when they are fed bread crumbs and other unhealthy human snacks. Waterfowl are capable of finding nutrition on their own.
As lovers of the great outdoors, many of us have fond memories of visiting ponds and feeding wildlife in our youth. As lifelong learners, all these years later, we’re also mindful of new information regarding conservation, migration and the care of wildlife.
What’s Angel Wing?
Angel wing syndrome—also known as airplane wing, slipped wing, crooked wing or drooped wing—is considered to be a mostly painless cosmetic deformity found primarily in waterfowl. The syndrome causes the flight feathers on the tip of a wing to become twisted or bent as they grow, causing the feathers to point away from the body instead of laying flat.
While the condition itself is not life-threatening, ducks and geese suffering from angel wing cannot fly, leaving them unable to migrate and making it harder for them to escape predators. That said, waterfowl with angel wing can still waddle or walk, swim and eat naturally.
More than one veterinarian featured online has noted the primary cause of angel wing is individuals feeding waterfowl excessive amounts of bread, carbs from processed human snacks and proteins.
It’s great fun to watch ducklings and goslings swim and grow with their families in local ponds as well as the DuPage River. Just know waterfowl are perfectly capable of providing for themselves without being fed by humans.
Nature’s beauty is enhanced by the way wildlife survives and thrives without human intervention. Let wildlife be wild!
Enjoy something new on Naperville Riverwalk every day
As the seasons change, the Riverwalk at Eagle Street is a great place to view the can-do spirit of the community that built the winding brick path from Jefferson Avenue to Hillside Road. Begin a walk toward the Jaycees Marina in the Paddleboat Quarry where paddleboats are available for rental from noon to 6PM weekends only, now through Sept. 29.
Enjoy the Riverwalk every day as it winds through in the heart of the central business district in downtown Naperville! Just don’t feed the wildlife. —PN
