An age-old question -- to feed or not to feed birds in fall and winter. Some people believe that feeding wild birds can cause more harm than good, like preventing timely migrations, or causing birds to depend on feeders rather than foraging food. The truth is these are myths, and feeding birds is beneficial to their well-being. Birds migrate regardless of seed in feeders. It’s estimated that wild birds only get 25 percent of food from feeders, the rest is naturally sourced, so full feeders don’t keep birds from migrating. Instead, several triggers urge birds to migrate: like changes in nesting locations as trees lose leaves, less natural foods, insect decline, winds, temperature drop and day length. As days grow shorter, many birds get internally restless and head south, taking advantage of plentiful natural foods, and stocked feeders to fuel their flight.     

During cold weather, resident birds that don’t migrate, need extra calories to stay warm as they burn energy keeping body temperatures up when temperatures drop. As natural resources decline, resident birds expend much energy searching for food. Providing supplemental food at feeders helps keep birds’ caloric-intake high, supporting them during bouts of brutally cold weather.     

In wintry weather, birds can use up to 75 percent of their fat stores per night. Studies show birds with regular access to feeders are healthier, have better feather growth, disease resistance and more successful reproduction. The right bird feed and feeders attract a wide variety of resident and migrating birds to backyards.     

Birding expert, Elaine Cole, owner of Cole’s Wild Bird Products, Co., offers timely advice on continuing to feed birds throughout cold weather and keeping birds safe and healthy. Since birds are highly visible and common animals, humans have had a relationship with them since the dawn of man.[271] Sometimes, these relationships are mutualistic, like the cooperative honey-gathering among honeyguides and African peoples such as the Born.[272] Other times, they may be communal, as when species such as the house sparrow[273] have benefited from human activities. Several bird species have become commercially significant agricultural pests, [274] and some pose an aviation hazard.[275] Human activities can also be detrimental, and have threatened numerous bird species with extinction (hunting, avian lead poisoning, pesticides, roadkill, wind turbine kills[276] and predation by pet cats and dogs are common causes of death for birds).[277]

Birds can act as vectors for spreading diseases such as psittacosis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, mycobacteriosis (avian tuberculosis), avian influenza (bird flu), gaurdian, and cryptosporidiosis over long distances. Some of these are zoonotic diseases that can also be transmitted to humans.[278]

Economic importance

See also: Pet § Birds

Illustration of fisherman on raft with pole for punting and numerous black birds on raft

The use of cormorants by Asian fishermen is in steep decline  but survives in some areas as a tourist attraction.

Domesticated birds raised for meat and eggs, called poultry, are the largest source of animal protein eaten by humans; in 2003, 76 million tons of poultry and 61 million tons of eggs were produced worldwide.[279] Chickens account for much of human poultry consumption, though domesticated turkeys, ducks, and geese are also relatively common.[280] Many species of birds are also hunted for meat. Bird hunting is primarily a recreational activity, except in extremely undeveloped areas. The most important birds hunted in North and South America are waterfowl; other widely hunted birds include pheasants, wild turkeys, quail, doves, partridge, grouse, snipe, and woodcock.[citation needed] Mutton birding is also popular in Australia and New Zealand.[281] Although some hunting, such as that of mutton birds, may be sustainable, hunting has led to the extinction or endangerment of dozens of species.[282]

Other commercially valuable products from birds include feathers (especially the down of geese and ducks), which are used as insulation in clothing and bedding, and seabird 'faeces' (guano), which is a valuable source of phosphorus and nitrogen. The War of the Pacific, sometimes called the Guano War, was fought in part over the control of guano deposits.[283]

Birds have been domesticated by humans, both as pets and for practical purposes. 'Colourful' birds, such as parrots and mynas, are bred in captivity or kept as pets, a practice that has led to the illegal trafficking of some endangered species.[284] Falcons and cormorants have long been used for hunting and fishing, respectively. Messenger pigeons, used since at least 1 AD, remained important as recently as World War II. Today, such activities are more common either as hobbies, for entertainment and tourism, 

Amateur bird enthusiasts (called birdwatchers, twitches or, more commonly, birders) number in the millions. Many homeowners erect bird feeders near their homes to attract various species. Bird feeding has grown into a multimillion-dollar industry; for example, an estimated 75% of households in Britain provide food for birds at some point during the winter.