HomeMy WebLinkAbout03 - Migratory & Other Waterfowl; Incubation & FeedingITEM 3
TO: Members of the Newport Beach City Council
FROM: Dave Kiff, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: Ordinance No. 2001 -_ -- An Ordinance Relating to the Protection of
Natural Habitat for Migratory and Other Waterfowl; Prohibition on
Incubation, Feeding (First Reading)
RECOMMENDED Introduce Ordinance No. 2001 - and set for second reading and adoption on
ACTION: January 8, 2002.
BACKGROUND: Newport Bay is an impaired water body, meaning that it is listed by US EPA
under Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act as contaminated for four
things - nutrients, sediment, fecal coliform (an indicator bacteria), and toxics.
Three areas of Lower Newport Bay have chronic, long -term problems with
bacteria - these areas are:
• The Arches Marina
• 43r4 Street (Newport Island)
• 331d Street (Newport Island)
The County of Orange's Health Care Agency (OC HCA) tests the Bay in 35
different locations for total coliform, fecal coliform, and enteroccoccus once a
week. If the tests show that an area exceeds State standards for water quality, the
County instructs the City to "post" the beachfront with this sign:
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To improve water quality in the Lower Bay and Upper Bay, the City has
embarked upon a multi-tiered approach that includes:
1) Limiting contamination from storm water runoff and urban runoff;
Newport Beach City Council
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2) Educating residents and businesses about best management practices that
limit contaminants;
3) Daily and weekly street sweeping with parking enforcement;
4) Routine cleaning of storm drain catch basins and the installation of catch
basin filters;
5) Installing and maintaining storm drain -to -sewer diversions;
6) Participating in two major Newport Bay watershed studies involving
runoff reduction with inland cities and the County of Orange;
7) Conducting a $500,000+ water testing program in Summer 2001 and 2002,
including four different studies;
8) Planning for and establishing the Marine Studies Center at Shellmaker
Island; and
9) Adopting new policies relating to sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs).
These City actions do not address two potential sources of water quality
contamination - vessel waste discharges (prohibited today -- additional study of
the prohibition's effectiveness set for Summer 2002) and avian sources (ducks,
gulls, pigeons, and more).
So What About the Ducks? Almost everyone likes ducks, but some people like
ducks more than others. Some people like ducks so much they decide that their
yards, entryways, and front and back sidewalks should become feeding areas for
dozens and sometimes hundreds of birds. This home along the western side of
Grand Canal on Balboa Island is a common duck gathering place.
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Duck Feeding/Watering Area on Grand Canal
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Regardless of our affection for ducks, there are three proven reasons why such
feeding is harmful:
• Duck fecal matter contaminates surface waters;
• Duck fecal matter can include organisms harmful to human health; and
• The creation of artificial habitat via supplemental feeding and incubation
disrupts migratory patterns, compromises duck nutrition, and may increase
disease among the duck population.
Ducks are Harmful to Water Quality. Each duck dropping can contain millions
of colony - forming fecal coliform bacteria, so duck feeding areas can become
smelly, slippery, and unhealthy. When duck droppings get into surface waters,
the bacteria within the droppings can cause the water to far exceed State water
quality standards for fecal coliform, total coliform, and enteroccoccus. As such,
the City is directed to "post" beaches where County of Orange water tests have
shown these exceedances.
1 duck dropping = 2,400,000 fecal coliform bacteria
Qty required to post a beach = 400 fecal coliform bacteria /ml
Case studies have shown that water quality impairments in the following
locations are due, in part, to the waterfowl population (see Attachment B for
details about each instance):
• Fountain Valley, California
• Fullerton, California
• Lakeville, Massachusetts
• St. Lawrence, Ontario, Canada
• Seattle, Washington
• Swamp Creek, Washington
• Vasona Lake County Park, San Mateo County, California
• Washington, DC
Ducks can be Harmful to Humans. In addition to harming water quality,
waterfowl and their droppings can cause human illness, including the following
(read more about each illness in Attachment B):
• Cercarial Dermatitis - severe itching caused by a parasite carried by ducks
(also known as "swimmer's itch").
• Histoplasmosis -- respiratory ailments, a general ill feeling, fever, chest
pains, and a dry or nonproductive cough. Chronic lung disease resembles
tuberculosis. Caused by a fungus found in soils with bird droppings.
• Tularemia - pneumonia -like illness caused by a bacterium carried by
waterfowl and rabbits.
• Cryptosporidiosis - diarrhea caused by cryptosporidium parasite and
carried by ducks.
• Salmonellosis - gastrointestinal illness caused by bacteria. Children
especially susceptible when handling ducklings.
• Campylobacteriosis -- diarrhea caused by campylobacter bacteria
commonly found in the digestive tracts of wild birds.
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• Psittacosis -- fever, chills, headache, muscle aches. Infection is acquired by
inhaling dried secretions from bud droppings.
• West Nile Encephalitis - infection of the brain. While there is no known
transmission of the West Nile virus from buds to humans, species of ducks
have been shown to have antibodies to the WN virus in East Coast studies.
• Influenza - virus causing headache, nausea, respiratory ailments. Aquatic
birds, particularly wild ducks, are primary reservoirs of influenza viruses.
Viruses excreted in the feces and droppings contaminate the water.
Duck Feeding can Even be Harmful to Ducks. Many waterfowl experts,
including Ducks Unlimited, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Pennsylvania
Game Commission, and the California Department of Fish and Game strongly
advise against duck feeding for the following reasons (see Attachment B for
more information):
• Nutrition. A diet of white bread can be fatal to waterfowl. When the birds
gorge themselves on bread, they stop eating their natural foods, which are
much more nutritious. The birds become malnourished. There have also
been cases of birds choking on wads of bread.
• Predation. Hand feeding of ducks prevents them from learning to be wary
of humans and can cause them to become a nuisance. Instead of living in the
wild, these birds learn that they have food and protection from predators
when they settle in the city. Waterfowl become more susceptible to attack by
domestic dogs, children throwing stones or trying to catch them, and other
harassment from those who see them as a problem.
• Migration. Migratory waterfowl need to fly south to find sufficient amounts
of marsh and grassland plants to eat. Supplementary unnatural feedings
may disrupt this natural cycle of migration.
• Avian Diseases. Crowded conditions support the transmission of disease,
primarily duck viral enteritis, fowl cholera and botulism. While on
migratory layover, wild fowl risk contracting localized disease. When they
fly out, they can spread disease to previously unaffected areas.
• Interbreeding. When feral, domestic fowl commingle with the native
population, hybridization occurs. The genetically altered offspring are often
flightless, contributing to non - migration and overpopulation.
Ducks Unlimited concludes its writing on duck feeding by writing, "Please, if
you care for the birds, do not feed them. You are really doing them more harm
than good."
The Proposed Ordinance. Given the high bacteria counts in duck fecal matter,
the potential for increased human illness, and the systemic problems that
overfeeding causes to waterfowl, we have proposed an ordinance which:
• Finds that the City of Newport Beach seeks to maintain the Upper and
Lower Bays in as native and natural form as possible for migratory and other
waterfowl; and
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• Prohibits the incubation and feeding of ducks and other waterfowl unless
such feeding is de minimus and does not create an artificial or harmful habitat
to the waterfowl; and
• Sets up a system of two warnings (with educational material) followed by an
administrative citation ($100, $200, and $500) for persons found violating this
ordnance.
The goal of this ordinance is to protect ducks, water quality, and human health
by discouraging and prohibiting the creation of unnatural habitat in Newport
Bay. Migratory waterfowl should visit the Bay on their migratory patterns and
forage for natural food sources (insects, mollusks, and grasses). Staff recognizes
that determining the difference between a child feeding a piece of stale bread to a
duck and a person who daily feeds buckets or cans of cat food or bags of bread to
a flock will be the most critical part of making this ordinance effective. We are
prepared to make every effort to appropriately enforce the proposed Ordinance.
The City's Harbor Quality Citizens' Advisory Committee discussed the proposed
Ordinance on November 8, 2001, and recommended by a unanimous vote that it
be forwarded to the City Council for approval.
THIS AGENDA This Agenda Item asks the City Council to move to adopt an ordinance that
ITEM: prohibit the incubation and feeding (certain types of feeding) of waterfowl in and
around Newport Harbor. If the Council approves the recommended action, it
would pass the Ordinance to 2nd Reading on January 8, 2002.
ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A - Ordinance No. 2001 -_ Relating to the Protection of Natural
Habitat for Migratory and Other Waterfowl.
Attachment B - Information relating to human pathogens carried by waterfowl,
case studies and articles, and what the experts say.
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Attachment A
ORDINANCE NO. 2001-
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
RELATING TO THE PROTECTION OF NATURAL HABITAT
FOR MIGRATORY AND OTHER WATERFOWL
THIS ORDINANCE is made with respect to the following:
RECITALS
WHEREAS, Newport Beach is home to Newport Bay, one of California's last remaining
estuaries that provides natural habitat for dozens of species of migratory birds; and
WHEREAS, Newport Bay is an impaired water body under the federal Clean Water Act;
and
WHEREAS, one of Newport Bay's impairments is for fecal coliform, a bacteria found in
warm blooded animals and birds; and
WHEREAS, migratory waterfowl and domestic waterfowl both use the Bay to forage for
important and nutritional natural food sources, including insects, mollusks and aquatic
vegetation; and
WHEREAS, experts at Ducks Unlimited, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the
California Department of Fish and Game say that distorting the feeding habitat for
waterfowl by supplementing foods like breads, table scraps, and cat or dog food can
harm the waterfowl by supplanting non - nutritional foods for foraged foods, by
discouraging migration, by creating an environment that increases the prevalence of
avian diseases; and
WHEREAS, excessive populations of ducks and other waterfowl contribute to the
loading of fecal coliform into Newport Bay;
NOW THEREFORE the City Council of the City of Newport Beach does hereby amend
the Newport Beach Municipal Code by adding Chapter 7.26 to read:
Chapter 7.26 — PROTECTION OF NATURAL HABITAT
FOR MIGRATORY AND OTHER WATERFOWL
7.26.010 Findings
The City of Newport Beach finds and declares that:
A. the waters of Newport Bay contain important natural habitat for migratory waterfowl and other birds
such as ducks, gulls, terns, and pelicans.
B. The value of this habitat is maximized when the Bay and its environs are, to the maximum extent
practicable, maintained in a manner that replicates the natural environment.
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C. Replicating the natural environment means improving water quality, maintaining native grasses and
plants, and by not supplementing nor removing food to the environment.
D. Supplementing certain foods outside of the natural habitat can result in direct harm to waterfowl,
including discouraging natural migration, causing avian diseases, and limiting the birds' intake of
more nutritional natural foods.
E. Replicating the natural environment also means not incubating or otherwise intervening in the
propagation of waterfowl unless licensed to do so by resources agencies.
F. Incidental or de minimus feeding of waterfowl on a sporadic, non - routine basis does not distort or
alter migratory patterns or the natural behavior of waterfowl.
7.26.020 Prohibition on Incubation
No person, unless permitted or licensed to do so by the California Department of Fish and Game or the
US Fish and Wildlife Service, shall incubate or otherwise assist in the propagation of eggs produced by
waterfowl such as ducks, terns, gulls, or pelicans found on or adjacent to Newport Bay.
7.26.030 Prohibition on Feeding of Waterfowl
No person shall establish or provide food to waterfowl on or adjacent to Newport Bay, unless such
feeding is found by the City or its officers to be a temporary and de minimus provision of food that does
not distort or alter the natural habitat of Newport Bay. For the purposes of this section, "adjacent" means
within one half of one mile of the mean high tide line of Newport Bay or the Pacific Ocean.
7.26.040 Violation Subject to Administrative Citation
It shall be unlawful for any person to violate any provision or fail to comply with any of the requirements of
this chapter. Any person violating any of the provisions or failing to comply with any of the requirements
of this chapter shall be subject to civil fines according to Chapter 1.05.
7.26.050 1" and 2"" Violations --Warning and Education
Prior to the issuance of any administrative citation under the authority of Section 7.26.040, the City or its
officers shall, in the first and second instances of any violation by any one person, issue a warning along
with educational material to any person found violating this chapter. The educational material shall state
the benefits to water quality and to habitat protection of this chapter's prohibitions.
This Ordinance was introduced at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of
Newport Beach held on the 11th Day of December, 2001, and was adopted on the 8'h
Day of January, 2002, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES, COUNCIL MEMBERS:
NOES, COUNCIL MEMBERS:
ABSENT, COUNCIL MEMBERS:
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ATTEST:
LAVONNE HARKLESS
CITY CLERK
NAME
MAYOR
Page 9
Attachment B
I — Human Pathogens Carried by Waterfowl
Cercarial Dermatitis (Swimmer's Itch)
Swimmer's Itch is a skin rash caused by an allergic reaction to infection with certain parasites of birds and
mammals. These microscopic parasites are released from infected snails to swim in fresh and salt water,
such as lakes, ponds, and oceans used for swimming and wading. The adult parasite lives in the
bloodstream of infected host animals such as ducks, geese, gulls, swans, as well as in certain aquatic
mammals such as muskrat and beaver. The parasites produce eggs that are passed in the feces of the host
bird or mammal. If the parasite - infected feces lands in the water, the water becomes contaminated. Eggs
hatch, releasing small, free - swimming larvae, called miricidia. These larvae swim in the water in search of
a certain species of aquatic snail. Humans get swimmer's itch when the cercarial larvae burrow into the
skin, thus the name cercarial dermatitis. The larvae cannot develop inside a human and they soon die.
Anyone who swims or wades in infested water may be at risk. Larvae are more likely to be swimming
along shallow water by the shoreline. Children are most often affected because they swim, wade, and
play in the shallow water more than adults.
Psittacosis
Chlmnydia psittaci, a bacterium, can infect humans to cause fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a dry
cough. Pneumonia is often evident on chest x -ray. Infection is acquired by inhaling dried secretions from
infected birds. The incubation period is 6 to 19 days. Although all birds are susceptible, pet birds (parrots,
parakeets, macaws, and cockatiels) and poultry (turkeys and ducks) are most frequently involved in
transmission to humans.
Salmonellosis
Previous reports have documented the potential for ducklings (5) and chicks (6) to transmit Salmonella to
humans. The proportion of all salmonellosis attributable to ducklings and chicks is unknown but is likely
to be small because most Salmonella infections are foodborne. Young children are at higher risk because
they are often the recipients of these pets and may be unable to follow instructions about careful hygiene.
Infants, if infected, are particularly susceptible to severe salmonellosis. In Maryland, following the
recovery of Salmonella from chicks and ducklings that were for sale during the Easter seasons of 1965-
1967, legislation was enacted allowing the sale of fowl under 3 weeks of age only to commercial breeders
and farmers (7). Similar legislation exists in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and other states.
In 1995 and 1996, Washington state epidemiologists investigated the source of illness for 20 people with
Salmonella serotype Montevideo, one of more than 2,000 strains of the bacteria. They found that 14 of the
20 people became ill after handling chicks. Several young children who did not handle chicks directly,
were probably infected by parents or siblings who had handled chicks.
West Nile Encephalitis
Approximately 33% (430) of the birds in this study were positive for West Nile virus - neutralizing
antibodies, whereas <0.5% tested positive for SLE virus - neutralizing antibodies. The six species for which
>10 birds were sampled each had at least one WN virus- seropositive bird. Of the eight species
represented, the Domestic. Goose was the most frequently exposed to infection, followed by Domestic
Chicken, House Sparrow, Canada Goose, Rock Dove, and Mallard.
Cryptosporidiosis
Migrating ducks could be a vector by which water supplies become contaminated with Cnjptosporidium
parmin, say researchers in a study that appears in the September 1996 issue of Applied and Environmental
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Microbiology. The researchers, from Johns Hopkins University, the Baltimore Zoo and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, orally innoculated six cryptosporidium -free ducks with the organism and
then monitored the ducks' feces for the next week. A majority of the organisms passed through the
intestinal tracts of the ducks and were shed in the feces over a 48 hour period. Cryptosporidium parvum is
a waterborne parasite that can cause diarrheal illness.
In immocompromised individuals it can cause repiratory and gallbladder infections and can cause death.
It represents a significant public health threat having caused numerous outbreaks in the United States,
including an outbreak in Milwaukee that affected an estimated 403,000 people. The transmissible stage,
the oocyst, is resistant to conventional water disinfection procedures applied to other waterborne
pathogens and remains viable in the environment over long periods, particularly when in association
with fecal material. Pastures, grazing lands and animal manure are recognized as significant sources of
viable oocysts. During the spring and fall migrations, thousands of waterfowl use fields, pastures, ponds
and cattle grazing lands for feeding and resting. The researchers conclude that birds, particularly
migratory waterfowl, could be an important, as yet unstudied, vector in the contamination of water
supplies.
Campylobacteriosis
In humans, infection by one of several species of Campylobacter bacteria, particularly Campylobacter jejuni
(C. jejuni) and Campylobacter fetus (C. fetus), most typically results in diarrhea. In the natural environment,
Campylobacter bacteria are commonly found in the digestive tracts of wild birds (ducks, geese, seagulls),
rodents and farm animals (chickens, cows, sheep, pigs). They can also live in the intestines of household
pets, including dogs, cats and birds.
Histoplasmosis
H. capsidatunt grows in soils throughout the world. In the United States, the fungus is endemic and the
proportion of people infected by H. capsulatum is higher in central and eastern states, especially along the
valleys of the Ohio, Mississippi, and St. Lawrence rivers, and the Rio Grande. The fungus seems to grow
best in soils having a high nitrogen content, especially those enriched with bird manure or bat droppings.
The organism can be carried on the wings, feet, and beaks of birds and infect soil under roosting sites or
manure accumulations inside or outside buildings.
Tularemia
In July 2001, health officials in Wyoming diagnosed a rare bacterial illness known as tularemia in two
Sweetwater County residents. Tularemia, also called rabbit fever and deer -fly fever, is a zoonotic disease
that is widely distributed in the Northern hemisphere. The agent that causes tularemia is Francisella
tidarensis, a bacterium. Humans, domestic and wild mammals (dogs, cats, sheep, cattle, horses, rabbits,
squirrels, muskrats, deer, etc...), 25 species of birds (ducks, grouse, quail, songbirds, etc.), several species
of fish, amphibians and reptiles are among the hosts of tularemia. In nature, F. tularensis can survive for
months in soil, mud, animal hide, carcasses and water.
Influenza
Aquatic birds, particularly wild ducks, are primary reservoirs of influenza viruses. The virus multiplies in
the gastrointestinal tract and usually causes no illness to the aquatic birds. It is excreted in the feces, and
the droppings contaminate the water. Thus, aquatic birds and domestic fowls become infected in nature
by coming contact with contaminated water.
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II -- Case Studies and Recent Articles
Seattle, Washington
Case Study using RNA Testing
"A 1993 study using this RNA method conducted in Piper's Creek in Seattle's Carkeek Park identified
domestic cats as the major source of bacteria. Studies conducted at Juanita Beach in 1998, identified ducks
and geese as the major source of fecal coliform pollution, with seagulls and dogs as secondary sources.
The RNA tests are expensive and time consuming, taking weeks to obtain the data. While the results are
valuable in designing our long term water quality protection programs, the results are not available fast
enough to use this technique for routine monitoring of the beaches or the sewer system. The fecal
coliform testing (without RNA analysis) takes less than 48 hours, allowing a much faster response to a
potential problem."
Washington, DC
Washington Newspaper Article
"The aesthetically pleasing ponds at suburban office complexes and housing developments -- created to
improve drainage and reduce sediment loadings into waterways -- have ironically created a new set of
environmental concerns. The unpleasant goose droppings found around those manicured storm water
ponds are contaminating water in places such as the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River, according to
environmental studies.
"In the Washington area, the ponds are often required for developments effecting local streams that feed
into the environmentally sensitive Chesapeake and Potomac. "The drawback is while they clean up
sediments, they may actually contribute more bacteria to the streams because they attract wildlife," says
Don Waye, environmental program manager Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC), which
studies such issues. As suburbia stretches out into the wilderness of Northern Virginia and Maryland,
the storm water ponds have become safe and plentiful watering holes and habitats for geese, ducks,
raccoons and other animals. With the animals and waterfowl come their droppings, and that's a cause for
worry .... For example, waterfowl make up 37 percent of the fecal bacteria in the Four Mile Run streams.
That's followed by raccoons at 15 percent, deer at 10 percent and dogs at 9 percent. ...it's the waterfowl —
in particular Canada Geese -- that are causing the most concern.
"There are several alternatives available to developers to reduce the ponds' attractiveness to geese,
according to the NVRC, including ... vegetative barriers at the ponds' edge that dissuade waterfront
visitors (from feeding the geese) and also filter more sediments and pollutants. At Lake Barcroft in
Fairfax County (VA), the community employs a border collie to chase the geese away. Collies have been
used for centuries to heard sheep and other livestock. "
Fullerton, California
Excerpts from an LA Times Article
"(Laguna) Lake is so contaminated, many fish have died. "It's too bad, because there aren't many places
to fish around here..." Residents in the hills around the lake share his concern. So do officials at the state
Department of Fish and Game. That is why 7 -acre Laguna Lake, a beloved gathering spot in Fullerton's
northern hills, is getting a $2- million renovation. A Long Beach consultant has been hired to advise the
city, which owns the lake, on what needs to be done. But the concern goes beyond dead fish. A staff
report to the City Council said "significant amounts of contamination" from Laguna Lake are reaching
coastal waters. The lake feeds into Brea and Coyote creeks, which run to the ocean via the San Gabriel
River.
Page 12
"A report from the consulting firm Moffatt & Nichols is due in October, but the city already has some
idea of what needs to be done: Create a filtering system to redirect runoff. Reduce the wildlife population
to a manageable level. Restore the shoreline greenery. Improve the lake's circulation system for better
aeration. Remove the contaminated sediment.
"Joan McCabe and her daughter Kelly said they take their daily walks at the lake specifically because
they love feeding the ducks. They plan to be at the June 9 hearing to recommend that the city restore
some of the ducks' nesting places. But the Fish and Game Department recommends that the city prohibit
feeding the ducks at Laguna Lake, so it's likely to be a hot topic ".
Swamp Creek, Washington State
DNA Study Results
Samples were collected from Swamp Creek at three locations. Most upstream samples were collected at
the city limits, and two downstream samples were collected in unincorporated Snohomish County. DNA
tests at the UW indicated that the major sources of contamination were pets, birds and urban wildlife
such as raccoons, ducks and geese. Contamination from humans was minimal at about 2.4 percent.
Vasona Lake County Park, San Mateo County, California
County Park Department Web site
"...One of the park's defining characteristics is its large geese and duck populations. Both native and
domestic varieties of this waterfowl live in the park - preferring the two small islands in Vasona Lake as
their home. Many park visitors do enjoy feeding the geese and ducks; however, they cannot digest most
"human" food properly. As of May 15, 1997 park visitors will no longer be able to feed the ducks at
Vasona Lake County Park. The Department is attempting to regain a natural habitat for native ducks and
other wildlife at Vasona Lake, and write that "we ask that you please resist the temptation to feed ducks
and other wildlife. Food sources, such as bread, popcorn, and potato chips are an unnatural food source
and are unhealthy to a duck's diet. Unfortunately this type of unnatural feeding also increases the
population to a level that cannot possibly be sustained by the park's natural food sources. Help keep the
park's habitat natural and wild. Please don't feed the ducks and other wildlife."
Lakeville, Massachusetts
Newspaper Article
"The ... spill that shut down the waterfront of Cathedral Camp and affected hundreds of Long Pond
residents last summer remains a mystery, and a watchdog group wants to make sure it does not happen
again. Roughly 500 children attending the camp were forced out of the water and the town beach in
Freetown was shut down in early August 1995 when high levels of fecal coliform bacteria -- an indication
of raw sewage — was discovered.... "One of the things on our agenda is to address the geese issue. It's not
just a problem on Long Pond but throughout the Northeast region ... They aren't migrating like they
should be doing and instead they are living off people feeding them. Sure it is cute to feed the birds but
the side effect can be contaminated water. We have to educate people not to feed the geese and ducks."
St. Lawrence, Ontario, Canada
Newspaper Article
"The Ring- billed Gull, a bird common to the St. Lawrence, has been recognized as a carrier of a number of
microbes which can cause disease in humans, such as Salmonella, Aeromonas, Carnpylobacter and Yersinia.
Therefore, health problems may appear when no sustained effort is made to keep these birds away from
beaches. Two studies conducted in the freshwater section of the St. Lawrence revealed that gull
droppings contribute to the microbial contamination of recreational waters. The authors of these studies
recommend limiting sources of food near bathing areas to deter gulls. Clean beaches, refuse containers
with lids, and restrictions on feeding birds are simple means of preventing health problems."
Page 13
Fountain Valley, California
Orange County Register Article
"A suspected outbreak of avian botulism is killing unusually large numbers of ducks and other birds at
Mile Square Regional Park, prompting rangers to step up enforcement of rules forbidding animal
feeding. About 130 dead or dying water birds, mostly ducks, were pulled from the park's north lake over
the past three weeks (June 2000), said ranger Phil Martinez. Veterinarian Richard Evans said he will
analyze tissue samples taken from the dead birds to try to confirm his suspicion: that avian botulism is
killing the birds. The disease poses no threat to people. The ailing bird, a snowy egret, could not be saved
and had to be put to sleep, he said.
"While the number of dead birds at Mile Square Park is higher than normal, the causes - assuming the
ducks are being killed by avian botulism - are familiar, Evans said. Botulism is caused by various strains
of bacteria; some infect humans, some animals. The bacteria are always present in soil, but certain
conditions cause them to multiply rapidly. One of the most important is simply a large number of birds.
City duck ponds are especially vulnerable; more ducks means more feces, which build up at the bottoms
of ponds and provide places for the bacteria to grow.
"You see people coming in with shopping baskets from the day -old bakery, loaded with bread," Evans
said. "You can't get them to understand that bugs thrive on carbohydrate."
That's why animal feeding is a bad idea, Martinez said. More ducks are drawn to the pond and remain
longer instead of flying elsewhere. The bacteria secrete a toxin that is picked up by invertebrates such as
insects. Fish eat the invertebrates; birds eat the fish; the birds die and other creatures feed on maggots
that have invaded the carcasses, further spreading the botulism bacteria. The result: paralysis. The birds
first have trouble flying, then moving at all, and finally die.
Although a campaign to discourage animal feeding has been in place at the park since January, Martinez
said he and his staff have increased their efforts to get the word out. Large banners will be erected around
the park, he said, warning visitors not to feed birds. All feeding will be discouraged, he said, although
much of the problem is caused by people who bring large bags of surplus bread and other food to the
park. Drop offs of large quantities of bread, vegetables or meat have been reported at a variety of county
natural areas, especially in Huntington Beach. One elderly woman was stopped by police in June as she
prepared to dump two large garbage bags of meat and bread into Talbert Marsh, where problems with
bacteria and bird feces have been chronic. Aside from discouraging feeding and retrieving dead animals
immediately, Martinez said little can be done for the birds. "That's all we can do," he said."
III — What the Experts Say
The Lindsay Wildlife Museum (Lindsay, California)
"Ducks and Geese - Do Not Feed"
"Domestic ducks - mostly descendants of pet ducks - are found at many local ponds and marinas
including Heather Farms park. Normally ducks migrate or move to new homes when their food supply
declines. However, partly because people feed the ducks, these animals may stay in the same area year'
round. Overpopulation in local ponds by domestic ducks is common. The water is frequently polluted
from their feces and from food thrown into the water by humans. Many ducks and other birds die from
avian botulism and other diseases in crowded ponds every summer. Native wild ducks and other birds
are also killed by the spread of these diseases.
You can help by not feeding the ducks. Ducks normally eat insects, mollusks and aquatic vegetation.
Feeding ducks bread and other food contributes to their overpopulation and increases the spread of
diseases to native wild ducks."
Page 14
Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), Massachusetts
Web site Information
"CRWA's office is situated at the upper end of the Charles River Lakes District in Newton. Our location
allows us to note the wide variety of birds that live in and along the river. As the seasons change, bird
populations using the river change as well. One species, however, is easily seen on any day of the year —
Canada Geese are now permanent residents along the river and in many other areas of Massachusetts.
For a number of reasons, however, feeding geese and other waterfowl is a bad idea.
As a general rule, any direct interaction between people and wildlife is detrimental to wildlife and often
to the people as well. Sometimes this is obvious, as when we purposely harm wildlife for our
amusement. But often the harm is less apparent, especially when it stems from actions intended to
benefit wildlife. Feeding geese falls within this category. People do it because it is fun and geese seem to
need and appreciate the food we give them. However, feeding geese is detrimental to them and may be
harmful to us as well.
Geese, like all birds, are highly adapted to their specialized lifestyle. One important adaptation is a very
fast digestive system. Birds have sacrificed some efficiency in their digestive process in order to process
food quickly. A stomach full of food is extra weight that birds cannot afford to haul up into the air. As a
result, geese produce a much greater volume of waste than most other animals of similar size. This
volume is increased because of the low nutritional content of the food they eat, particularly when it
consists of bread. Grass, a principal food source, passes through a goose in about two hours and grazing
geese will excrete every seven minutes like clockwork. When geese are enticed to concentrate and remain
in an area because of an artificial food supply, the area becomes subject to intense loading from their
waste. This is more unpleasant than harmful, but it adds to the burden of nutrients and bacteria that a
body of water must absorb.
Indiana County (PA) Parks Department
"Wildlife and Waterfowl Feeding Policy"
Indiana County (PA) Parks does not permit the feeding of wildlife and waterfowl at county parks for the
following reasons:
• Not feeding wildlife allows animals to find natural food sources, which are plentiful in the park
and provide better nutrition than food intended for human consumption.
• A diet of white bread can be fatal to waterfowl. When birds feed on bread, they may stop eating
natural food sources which are more nutritious. The birds may become malnourished and there
have been cases of birds choking on wads of bread (Source: Ducks Unlimited, www.ducks.ore)
• Feeding wildlife supports artificially high numbers of wildlife, above what the natural numbers
would be. Hand feeding of wildlife prevents them from being wary of people and may cause
them to become a nuisance or a danger to humans.
• Feeding areas carry germs and bacteria. Feeding waterfowl can cause avian botulism, which can
result in waterfowl deaths.
• Excessive feeding has resulted increased rodent populations. We have been required to bait and
trap rodents at Blue Spruce Park in areas where feeding has occurred.
• High numbers of waterfowl can decrease water quality due to high levels of fecal coliform and
nitrogren found in waterfowl waste. A single goose can produce up to 1.5 pounds of droppings
per day and a flock of 150 geese can produce 40 tons of droppings per year (Source: Water
Resources Education Network).
• High numbers of Canada Geese have made the park lawn and turf areas undesirable and, in
some cases, unusable due to the excessive amounts of droppings.
• The Pennsylvania Game Commission, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and Ducks Unlimited all
advise against the feeding of waterfowl. In the case of Canada Geese, feeding can contribute to a
Page 15
loss of migratory instincts, resulting in high numbers of Canada Geese who no longer follow
normal migration patterns.
• Most other parks, including Pennsylvania State Parks and many other county park systems, do
not permit wildlife feeding.
• As an alternative to feeding, park visitors are encouraged to observe wildlife from a distance by
walking along the park system's many trails and open space areas. The park system provides an
extensive series of environmental education programs, including live animal programs, where
visitors can learn more about local wildlife.
• In cases of severe winter weather, Indiana County Parks personnel may feed the waterfowl.
Ducks Unlimited
Web site Information
"Ducks Unlimited does not recommend feeding wild waterfowl. As is often the case when humans
interact with wildlife, problems begin to arise when humans feed waterfowl. Hand feeding wild animals,
although entertaining, prevents them from learning to be wary of humans and can cause them to become
a nuisance. Instead of living in the wild, these birds learn that they have food and protection from
predators when they settle in the city.
"Waterfowl become more susceptible to attack by domestic dogs, children throwing stones or trying to
catch them, and other harassment from those who see them as a problem. Flocks of semi -tame birds can
become nuisances by defecating of the grass and causing damage to parks, golf courses, and other
recreational areas. Waterfowl can also become a water - quality issue because of the high levels of fecal
coliform and nitrogen in their waste.
"Furthermore, many people do not realize that a diet of white bread can be fatal to waterfowl. When the
birds gorge themselves on bread, they stop eating their natural foods, which are much more nutritious.
The birds become malnourished and there have also been cases of birds choking on wads of bread.
"Many people feed waterfowl in the winter because they feel badly for the birds that have to live in the
cold. Because of the extreme temperatures reached in the winter, migratory waterfowl need to fly south
to find sufficient amounts of marsh and grassland plants to eat. Supplementary unnatural feedings may
disrupt this natural cycle of migration. Please, if you care for the birds, do not feed them. You are really
doing them more harm than good."
Parks Officials in San Mateo County, California (Publication)
Publication Entitled, "How does feeding harm the ducks ?"
NON - MIGRATION
Waterfowl migrate to search for food and a more moderate climate. Park visitors have encouraged
waterfowl to remain due to abundant, unnatural feeding, causing overpopulation.
OVERPOPULATION
A concentrated population of domestic waterfowl competes with natives for the natural resources and
causes damage. The crowded conditions promote avian diseases.
AVIAN DISEASES
Crowded conditions support the transmission of disease, primarily duck viral enteritis, fowl cholera and
botulism. While on migratory layover, wild fowl risk contracting localized disease. When they fly out,
they can spread disease to previously unaffected areas.
Page 16
INTERBREEDING
When feral, domestic fowl commingle with the native population, hybridization occurs. The genetically
altered offspring are often flightless, contributing to non - migration and overpopulation.
PHYSICAL DAMAGE
Domestic gees are primarily grazers. Due to their large numbers, portions of the lawns and shrubs have
been sheared to the roots, leaving unsightly landscape problems. The lawns, paths, docks, picnic tables
and reservoir are also contaminated with feces, which is costly to remove.
WATER QUALITY
Each goose produces one pound of feces every day. The accumulation of waste matter in the reservoir has
created unpleasant odors and diminished oxygen levels, reducing the viability of aquatic live in the
water.
PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS
Duck feces and its potential salmonella content brings hazards to the public. Geese are prone to
aggression and have been known to bite children and adults."
Page 17
Ducks rally at a container of fresh water put out by a friend an little Balboa Island, Other folks oppose pollution by the birds.
Quackdown on
Duck Feeders?
Fowl: Newport Beach is pondering
fining those
who give water birds treats
regularly or in `bulk.'
By SCANLEY ALLISON
tng the hay s already polluted wn-
and DAVID HALDANE
tots.
The ordinance leaves it up to
naffs srarr Warrras
code enforcement officers and
11emo to the duck's of Newport
other city officials to determine
Bay: The free lunch may be over.
on a ease- byaase basis how much
Under an ordinance nmv hung
feeding is ton much. The proposal
considered by Newport Beach,
says that "temporary and incidem-
people who regularly feed the
tal feeding is permitted but that
ducks in the bay's islands.
regular or "bulk feeding is not.
t cl
marshes and boat docks would
m
mar
Assistant City Manager Dave
htff puts it another wag "We are
face tines of up to
trying to make a distinction be-
Supporters believe the law is
aon
tweea a person with
needed because humans are dis-
ot]tragtd feeding a duck and some -
acl and
rupting the mturat..ngratory pat-
one who has a bucket of bread.
terns of ducks and other water
.. We am not trying to pick on
fowl by throwing handfuls of
the ducks. We are trying to pro -
bread, bagels aid baguettes into
tect the water quality"
the bay.
Duck droppings contain high
Treated to this buffet of breads,
levels of coliform bacteria that
more birds are staying put in
can be harmful to humans —espe-
N'eaport livach rather than con-
cially in the stagnant waters of
dnuing on their migratory paths.
the bay.
And their droppings a, a worsen-
Please see DUCKS, B10
IM
Id
�i
tY �.
+ar,t
Martha Anwiler, a 41-year resident of Balboa, says she occs-
sionally feeds ducks. The Newport Beach City Council, to curb
tainted water, may bar fowl feedings at a Dec. 11' meeting.
Page 18
LOS ANGBLPS TIMPS
PA, Irl
q _ r C iiirj� 'ti ,gJa.Y..CP
S
�u. i re /r n� M
U {.
xeVln P. C.55ln': Loe haGe4 Waco
Ducks greet joggers on Little Balboa Island, where some view the birds as a nuisance.
11 (
s,' 1� R. ire ~i �, ',,: C'.. �.�; • ��,� •' �� / � /�._��
Continuedfromft
me that l can't feed them."
these ducks —there needs to be
"To an area where you have lots
A much newer resident across
someguidelines.'
of ducks and limited [natural]
thewater. however, sees the matter
If Newport Beach approves the
flushing of water. a fe,.v ducks can
differently. Lisa Bro'vn, 31. moved
ordinance. it will join a handful of
go a long, way' towncd polluting
to Balboa with her husband and
other municipalities that have
the wrier, raid Monica Mazur of the
three young children just over a
laws regulating feeding ducks.
Orange County Health Care
year ago. And sharing the neigh -
Villa Park, for example, passed
Agency.
bo:'hood with so many ducks, she
an ordinance in May 1999 after
Alo ng the canal separating Bal-
said. is "very loud, obnoxious and
residents complained about a
boa Island irom little Balboa Is-
you have to wear earplugs all day
neighbor who fed flocks of wild
land. the daily quacking of the ap-
long:'
ducks, causing excessive drop -
proximately 75 ducks can he heard
Her biggest concern. however, is
pings and unsanitary conditions.
for blocks.
v:a;er pollution. "I live on the wa-
A Newport Beach subcommit-
Helen Chapman, 77. a resident
ter," Brown said. "and I can t set
tee voted Thursday to forward the
since 1934. said she s fed the ducks
foot in it. My kids get skin rashes if
ordinance to the City Council for
every day for 30 years. The idea of
they touch the water. My pediatri-
review. probably at its Dec. 11
rggrulaiing :heir feeding, Chapman
ciao told me they should stay away
meeting.
said. is "dumb. Why are we worry -
from u.'
The ordinance calls for at least
irkg about something as swpid as
The matter was so upsetting,
. two warnings, accompanied by
this?"
Brown said. that she called her city
educational materials, before a
She has become so familiar with
councilman and the state Depart-
fine of $100 to $500 would be im-
the birds that she has even given
ment of Fish and Game on many
posed.
some of tuem names, such as
occasions to complain. "If they
"One of our big goals is not
Pretty Girl, Peeper; and Bibs.
stopped feeding the ducks on a
fine people but to educate them
`The. are God's creatures.' Chap-
regular basis.' she said. "they
and win over people who love
man said, "and. I'm sorry. but I
would migrate like normal ducks.
ducks but also love good water
don t think anybody is going to tell
The canal is not big enough for all
quality." Kiff said. -