As a member of several different environmental organizations, and as an avid enjoyer of birds, I had a point come up the other day with my father, which made me think: Who is right?
Many people will say that it is environmentally responsible to help out the animals in your city backyard by putting up feeders, bird, squirrel and bat houses, and providing fresh water sources.
Then, others say that putting up feeders is ultimately very harmful as it tames animals and makes them dependent on you, as well as eliminates the natural variety of food choices from their diets, which can cause sickness.
I don't see conclusive evidence either way. I tend to lean toward the latter argument, but I recognize that in cities, the animals (especially birds) are so nearly domesticated that putting up feeders helps, not harms them, and prevents them from poking around in a grabage can in the dead of winter.
Still...I wonder. Any thoughts, birders, orinthologists, environmentalists, farmers....out there?