Please don't feed the ducks

Ducks and geese are wild animals that can survive with little, or no, help from humans. This was the message passed along by Village of Brockport resident Marian Miller from information she received from the Department of Environmental Conservation's water fowl unit.

Feeding them causes more harm than good as it interferes with their natural instinct to migrate when food becomes less plentiful in this area during the winter months.

Marian Miller, a resident of Smith Street, across from Brockport's Corbett Pond - "The Duck Pond" - addressed trustees during the regular meeting on Tuesday, September 2. "I'm frustrated with the ducks," she said. "There are about 200 of them at the pond across from my house and they cross the road into my yard and eat, sleep and poop everywhere."

Miller was concerned with the number of ducks in the area because of potential health problems that may arise from the excrement. "There are areas in the yard where I cannot let my children play," she said. She also indicated that people continually wander around her yard in order to feed the birds.

According to Miller, and the trustees concurred, there are "regulars" who come on a daily basis to feed the ducks. "There will be no reason for these birds to migrate."

Department of Public Works Superintendent Brad Upson said he wasn't certain how the village could enforce a law to not allow individuals to feed the ducks. "Without a local law, I don't know how it could be enforced and I don't know how much of an added burden it would be to the police department," he said, adding that he knows the ducks cause a problem with traffic.

Mayor Josephine Matela urged residents to stop feeding the birds. "We have to educate the public that the birds don't need to be fed ... they can find their own food."

Upson concurred saying it's just not healthy for the birds to be fed by humans.

Trustee James Whipple said that while the village may be able to ask visitors to stop feeding the birds, he said he wouldn't look for the birds to begin migrating if the feeding stopped. "Those birds are locals, they aren't going to migrate."

The ducks have been a problem for years, Trustee Peter DeToy said. "As long as people feed them, they'll stay around."

Upson was charged with looking into obtaining information from the DEC and posting informational brochures and signs on the danger - to the birds - of continuing to feed them.