Ducks should not be fed bread, doughnuts, popcorn or crisps, council warns

It says ‘not to’ use bread, doughnuts, popcorn or crisps. It adds, about the problem of diseases caused by bread: “Algal blooms occur naturally

Don't feed the ducks bread, it makes them ill and can clog waterways, the council warns.

Instead, the council says we should feed cooked rice, or lettuce, oats, corn, grapes or earthworms to the ducks instead.

It says ‘not to’ use bread, doughnuts, popcorn or crisps.

It adds, about the problem of diseases caused by bread: “Algal blooms occur naturally, but throwing bread and other foods into the water makes the problem worse. The excessive nutrients effectively feed the algae and cause it to grow more. You can help by not throwing bread into rivers and ponds.”

This advice is backed by the Canals & River Trust which adds: “Ducks need a varied diet to be healthy. Bread doesn't have much nutritional value and fills the duck's stomach so that it doesn't forage for foods it would naturally eat, which can lead to malnutrition.

“Uneaten soggy bread can cause a build-up of bad nutrients, which can lead to more algae growing around water, more diseases and more pests, such as rats.

“Too many ducks or waterfowl in one place can stress the birds and lead to their habitats being damaged.

“This also creates excessive amounts of bird droppings, which, along with being smelly and slippery underfoot, can reduce water quality and clog waterways with harmful algae.”