When it comes to banging the drum for environmental responsibility, we don’t think the buck should stop with recycling or reducing energy consumption. Indeed, as a company devoted to nature in all its extraordinary forms, we pride ourselves on supporting local wildlife, too, with many of our staff members now feeding the birds around our offices. Besides the obvious benefits of enjoying their company and being easy on the eye, feeding our feathered friends offers several ecological advantages.
First and foremost, feeding local birds, especially in the colder months, can bolster their overall health and even assist the breeding process. Rather than leaving birds to solely fend for themselves, this simple act delivers an additional burst of energy and nutrition, which can help their reproductive fortunes, and thereby improve biodiversity. Simply put, birds with better access to food will be in better condition.
Of course, feeding local birds also benefits those whose food sources have been destroyed by a changing landscape – through building developments, for instance, which are plentiful around our workplace. When homes and offices are erected, birds lose their natural food sources, nesting spots, and shelter. Cultivating a bird-friendly environment can help restore some harmony to their lives.
Beyond their diet of suet, seeds, and nectar, feeding the local birds also encourages them to feast on a slew of critters, like spiders, snails, and worms. And this provides perfect pest control. Alongside curtailing these species, birds control unsightly weeds, too. Plenty of small birds dine on seeds, particularly seed-bearing flowers or weeds, so they’re powerful weapons in the fight against these unwanted plants.
Every lunchtime marks a new encounter with the feathered friends around our offices. Armed with seeds, nuts, and fruit, we’re met with a growing number of beautiful birds and their uplifting songs. So far, we’ve befriended robins, woodpigeons, long-tailed tits, chaffinches, blackbirds, great tits, goldfinches, starlings, and house sparrows. And, over time, we’ve become familiar with certain hungry individuals, discerning them by their personalities and unique markings. We like to call them our ‘outdoor pets’.
What’s more, for many of the urban dwellers working at Nature’s Best, interacting with nature in this way can be enormously gratifying, purposeful, and mood-enhancing. Feeding the birds invites our staff members to venture outside on their lunch break, stretch their legs, and engage with the wildlife around them. The birds benefit. The environment benefits. And we benefit.
Bibliography:
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The RSPB. (2019). Feeding Birds: What Can I Feed Birds? - The RSPB. Available online: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/how-you-can-help-birds/feeding-birds [Accessed 22 Feb. 2019].
