Can ducks eat bread?
The simple answer to this question is yes they can, they gobble it up. However, this does not mean it’s good for them!
Bread holds little nutritional value, contains a lot of salt, and if bread becomes a major part of their diet, they will become unwell and ultimately suffer illness and disease.
With inland waterways well populated by ducks, swans, moorhens, coots, and many other waterbirds, competition for food is fierce and they greatly appreciate meals being donated by kindly park visitors. Fortunately, for all of us, humans and ducks alike, there are plenty of healthy alternatives which are just as convenient as bread, but much healthier for the birds.
Below we’ve listed the most common questions we get asked, and answer each in turn. We’ve also give plenty of options to allow you to continue enjoying feeding the ducks at the park with plenty of healthy and nutritious alternatives.
Is bread good for ducks?
No, it is not. The reason for this is ducks have a broad diet generally comprising seeds, vegetation, insects, and molluscs. Bread on the other hand has a narrow range of nutrients which leave ducks under nourished. Additionally, bread contains a lot of salt which is bad for ducks, while the dough quickly fills them up, stopping them from seeking a broad healthy diet.
Why is bread bad for ducks?
Bread offers little nutritional value for ducks and is not part of their natural diet. It has been shown to be the cause of several illnesses, such as angel wing in ducks, and additionally pollutes the water in which they live, further reducing the availability of natural foods.
What to feed ducks instead of bread?
The best food for ducks is a proprietary duck and swan food, which contains a balanced diet developed specifically to maintain and enhance bird health. We offer a choice of foods, Ark Duck & Swan Floating Food which as it says, floats on water and is ideal for all the paddling ducks, as well as swans, coots and moorhens. For bank feeding, look for a complete pelleted food such as Ark Duck & Goose Pellets, which are better for bank feeding birds such as Canada geese as well as other goose and duck species. You can additionally feed raw whole cereals and seeds such as Ark Cereal Mix, wheat, maize, or if you want to treat them, Sunflower Hearts, or even Dried Calcium Worms, which they love!
Does bread kill ducks?
Bread will not directly kill ducks, but it does present several hazards. Firstly, if overfed it can lead to malnutrition and ill health, and if not rectified, ultimately death. Bread also dissolves in water, polluting waterways and encouraging blooms of dangerous blue green algae (cyanobacteria). A direct risk to humans and animals and destroying water quality and therefore natural foodstuff ducks would otherwise feed on.
Can ducks eat mouldy bread?
You should never eat, or feed mouldy bread to pets, wildlife or ducks. Bread if left uneaten quickly goes off. Moulds can form within hours in the right conditions and many of these cause sickness and death either directly or via toxins they excrete. Two dangerous examples are mycotoxins and a particularly nasty fungi Aspergillus. Some moulds are poisonous, while others produce toxins while they grow. Due to the dangers, you should never feed bread to ducks or other wildlife.
Is it illegal to feed ducks bread?
It’s not illegal to feed bread to ducks but it is irresponsible. Additionally, many local authorities and water agencies have banned it on inland waterways, due to it poisoning water, causing blue green algae blooms, as well as being harmful to ducks.
What are natural foods for ducks?
Most of the ducks you see at the park are omnivores, meaning they eat a mixed diet including water plants, grass, berries, roots, and seeds. As well as insects, crustations molluscs, tadpoles, earthworms and even small fish and amphibians.
You can supplement their natural diet by offering foods including
- Sweetcorn
- Lettuce
- Peas
- Cabbage
- Oats
- Seeds
- Chopped apple
- Wheat
- Grapes
- Bird seed
- Proprietary duck food
Remember that ducks don’t chew, so all food needs to be bite-sized to allow them to swallow it. For example, it’s a good idea to slice grapes in half to make them more manageable.
