Public feeds 'angel wing' deformity, scientists say

Josh Brown,

joshbrown@tennessean.com7:21 p.m. CDT August 11, 2014

Cathy Westerman had been going to the boat ramp at Mallard Point in Hendersonville for years before she noticed it.

Two geese among the many congregating at the popular park last month were a little different. Their wings looked mangled and jetted away awkwardly from their bodies.

The birds were afflicted with "angel wings," a condition long associated with waterfowl that spend time in public parks where people can feed them.

Scientists over the years have hypothesized that the condition is caused by poor nutrition and have not-so-subtly pointed fingers at people who feed the birds.

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Feed the Birds? Not Popcorn and Crumbled Bread (Op-Ed)

Deborah Robbins Millman, Director, Cape Wildlife Center | July 26, 2014 03:24am ET

Deborah Robbins Millman is the director of Cape Wildlife Center, one of New England's largest wildlife rehabilitation centers and a leader in rehabilitating endangered and threatened New England species. She contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. 

For many, feeding birds at ponds and parks is a cherished childhood memory; one they lovingly recreate for their children and grandchildren. Yet tragically, thousands of birds die annually due to a condition overwhelmingly caused by people who don't know this beloved activity can be deadly.

"Angel wing" is a deformity commonly found in ducks, geese, swans and other waterfowl. There has been little scientific study done on the condition, yet most wildlife and waterfowl experts agree the overwhelming cause of angel wing is an unhealthily high protein and/or carbohydrate-based diets. The disorder causes the last joint in one or both wings to unnaturally twist outward, rather than lie flat against a bird's body. 

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Feeding birds - angel wing

http://www.livescience.com/46794-deadly-angel-wing-condition-caused-by-feeding-birds-crackers-video.html