Angel Wing Syndrome Results in Deformed Waterfowl Wings

Release Date: 12/17/2008 12:00:00 AM

Contact: Marlene Feist, 625-6740

Technically, if you feed ducks bread, you are actually helping to kill them. As we’ve said before, a diet mostly of bread doesn’t provide the right kind of nutrition for wild ducks and other birds to remain healthy.

Now, in Eugene, Oregon, they are finding that the wings of waterfowl are becoming deformed from a steady diet of bread that is too high in carbohydrates. The deformity makes birds’ feathers grow faster than their wing bones.

Nearly a year ago in Spokane the Parks and Recreation Department launched an extensive educational campaign to let people know how feeding wild ducks and especially feeding them bread is one of the worst things you can do for the ducks.

At the time there was significant media coverage of the campaign. We also implemented an Adopt-a-Duck Plan and found new homes for 40 domestic ducks in the Manito pond that were unable to fly. Now we are finding other medical reasons why feeding waterfowl bread is one of the worst things you can do.

When a young bird eats calorie-dense, nutritionally poor foods — like bread — the growth of its feathers outpaces the development of its wing bones. Gravity pulls the heavy feathers down, and the growing bones twist outward, resulting in a syndrome known as “Angel Wing.” Bandages and physical therapy can correct the condition in young birds, but it is incurable in adults, and affected birds lose the ability to fly.

Parks and Recreation Horticulture Supervisor, Steve Nittolo, has spent several months working on ways to improve water quality in city park ponds. “It all goes back to the public dumping bread into park ponds believing they are helping feed the wild ducks, when instead they are really harming them,” Nittolo said.

In Eugene many people have noticed injured birds and reported them as having broken wings. But what’s really happening is the “angel wing,” condition, marked by a deformed wing and spindly features that poke out at right angles.

“Bread is bad, bad, bad,” said Michele Goodman of the Webbed Foot Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic in Connecticut. “Bread is actually like junk food for waterfowl,” Goodman added. “Handouts such as whole slices of bread, pizza crusts and bagels can actually cause birds to choke to death. Feeding birds also can cause them to lose their natural fear of humans, and that can lead to aggression.”

What’s the Bottom Line?

The overall intent is to clean up City of Spokane park ponds and improve water quality for everyone including people, ducks, geese, seagulls and all waterfowl. Park staff is trying to avoid being the “duck police,” hoping to educate people rather than regulate them. “Our strategy has been to wait for the word to get out and people to self-regulate,” Nittolo said. And he echo’s Goodman in saying, “Please, please, don’t feed bread to the wild ducks in park ponds.” In Eugene they have adopted the slogan, ““Be an Angel – Don’t Feed Ducks Bread.”

Spokane’s Please Don’t Feed the Ducks Campaign

The Spokane Parks and Recreation Department staff is working diligently to ­­­improve the water quality of park ponds, to manage the number of ducks in the area, and especially to sustain a fun and safe environment for all who use the parks. We need the public’s help to accomplish that. The end result will be good for everyone – the pond water quality will be greatly improved and a growing percentage of residents will have a better understanding of why we are now asking people to STOP all feeding of ducks and other waterfowl.

About Spokane Parks and Recreation

City of Spokane Parks and Recreation is responsible for the professional management and prudent caretaking of more than 4,100 acres of developed parks and conservation land. The Golf Division maintains and operates four championship municipal golf courses, including Indian Canyon, Downriver, Esmeralda and the Creek at Qualchan. Park Operations has responsibility for the maintenance of all park land and park facilities in the City of Spokane including Riverfront Park, Manito Park, Gaiser Conservatory and the many city-wide gardens, Finch Arboretum and the Urban Forestry Program. The Recreation/Entertainment Division offers classes, special events, athletic leagues and activities for youth, teens, adults, seniors and persons with physical and mental disabilities. It also operates Riverfront Park attractions, activities and events including the Spokane Falls SkyRide, the Looff Carrousel and IMAX Theatre, and provides support for community centers, senior centers, the Northeast Youth Center, Corbin Art Center and outdoor swimming pools. For more information please visit spokaneparks.org.