Back in 2009, when the photo below was taken, the housing market had crashed and different groups were being bailed out by the government for one reason or the other. So when I encountered this flock of birds standing in a parking lot, waiting for cars to drive up and give them a bailout too, I sighed. What happened to the concept of working and searching for your own food?
The birds glared at me because I was obviously not prepared to meet their needs. But luckily, while I was sitting there contemplating the error of my ways, another car pulled into the parking lot. At that point, all of the birds simultaneously turned their focus towards the new arrival (completely forgetting about me).
The occupant of that car knew exactly what he was supposed to do. Perhaps it was a daily routine, because he looked experienced. He stepped out of his car with a plastic bag filled with bread crumbs, pulled a handful out, and threw it at the birds. They didn’t even have to move a feather. When a chunk of bread landed at their feet, they simply gobbled it up, and yelled for more. It was apparent that they expected to be waited on, beak, wing, and webbed foot.
A few minutes later, the man got back into his car and drove away. So the begging birds quickly turned their attention back towards me again, with cold looks that could burn a hole through solid stone. At that point, I decided the safest thing to do was to take one more photo through the car window and then go back home.
Before I Forget 
Love your bird story. We’ve got large gulls at the Central Market in Riga, Latvia and they scream as they fly overhead. However my hubby and I discovered that these are not bread birds they want fresh fish. So we have special sort of small fishes here sold for cheap. People can eat them, cats and so on. Well you get the picture. So when the fish is really cheap in the summer we buy a bagful once in awhile and toss fish by fish to the gulls. They just gooble it all up so quick. Now if only someone would throw a steak dinner at me. lol
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Hahaha….a steak dinner sounds good, and throw in a baked potato too.
It would be much better if these birds were fed something healthy like fish. I don’t think bread is that good for birds…not the right nutrition for them. It might fill them up, but I think it makes them fat.
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I adore your humor and wit in this piece, Mary! I also agree that bread is not good food for birds. I have often had to pen my geese out front when the grass is in short supply. Once the lady next door had her grand kids over for a visit, and they came over with a bag of cheap white bread and tried to feed it to the geese… they wouldn’t touch it. I’m sure the children were disappointed, but my geese have never been fed bread before! LOL!
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Sounds like your geese are very wise.
They know exactly where they can get good food if they want, from someone who loves them dearly.
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I love the “Feeling Stressed” photo . . . because I have felt that way all week! This is my Laugh of the Day! Kind of put things in perspective. Thanks!
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Me too. It’s been a stressful week (more than usual).
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Birds can go on the attack with food – that closeup is SCARY!!! Have a Great One!
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Yes. Never argue with a hungry bird.
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I love your train of thought. So apt.
Yes, birds (and animals, including humans) will quickly become habituated to a freebee. How long has it taken the pigeons of Trafalgar Sqaure to get back to fending for themselves, or are the public still feeding them ?
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Did people actually stop feeding the pigeons? I think they would probably revolt and start pecking at the people. Some of them have gotten so fat, I don’t think that they can even fly anymore.
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Your story reminds me of my undergrad school where there was a scenic fountain that was surrounded by students and gigantic Canadian geese during lunch time. It was fairly common for the random (starving) student to have their sandwich literally snatched out of their hands by aggressive geese. Talk about avian shake down lol.
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Oh, I believe it. Canada geese are very opinionated and rather large. If they want something, they are going to get it. Especially if it looks yummy.
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There is a lake nearby where schools of enormous fish do the same thing for popcorn! Methinks there is a message in there somewhere. Funny post full of serious meaning! 🙂
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Yes. I guess I was saying the same thing when I wrote the story about the obese fast food pigeon. Birds and animals are more than happy to accept food that is given to them, even if it isn’t that great. All we have to do is look at some of the sickly pigeons that hang out under the outdoor tables, eating fries, chips, and bread that has fallen to the ground. A lot of what we call food is not good for them or for us either.
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so very true…I live lakeside for over 20 years but never fed any of the birds that came around bread…for one reason it isn’t what they should be eating, but secondly I didn’t want them visiting on my lawn as it makes for very slippery, smelly, grass when they decide to stay around in a large flock…if you get my drift… 🙂
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I know. There are some houses on a nearby lake, and they are overwhelmed with Canada Geese at certain times of year. The geese hang out in people’s yards in honking large groups and leave behind (in the grass) what look like hundreds of “little cigars.” Slippery smelly grass is right!
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lol!!
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Thanks for stopping by, Wodezitie.
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That’s sad three ways. Once because they are so conditioned to being fed, second because what they get is not healthy for them and third, people who feed them bread don’t realize that they are doing them a dis-service.
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Absolutely right….It isn’t healthy.
Sometimes not “helping” is the right action for people to take.
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love this unique story Mary..thanks for sharing
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Thanks Kavita!
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I’m not sure why but your posts haven’t shown up in my reader for quite some time. :(. So anyway, I’m playing catch up here. Great story!
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Well then….so nice to read your comments again.
Welcome back!
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I love this wonderful story. Some birds in nature will get free food. Some will have to work hard for their daily bread. Such is the nature of birds. Such is the nature if men too. It is nature. The varieties of birds and the varieties of men are the spices of life.
Great story. Amazing pictures. 🖤
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Thank you Gbolabo! I have not been on my website much this year….because of my house with all of the cracks in the foundation and walls. High Stress! You are right. There are some who work hard for what they have, and then there are others who expect to be given everything. Birds and people do have a lot in common!
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