On Feb 19, 10:26 am, Dan Espen dan
The number of birds in an area is directly related to the amount of
food and shelter. In areas where there is shelter but not enough
food, a feeder will increase the bird population and when the feeding
is stopped, the birds have to starve.

Yes populations are directly related to the resources available. That
is NATURAL RESOURCES, not feeders. Natural sources of food and
shelter are far, far in excess of that provided with birdhouses and
feeders. Birds have adapted for thousands of years to these
natural resources and are genetically programmed to seek them. It is
these natural resources that dominate the birds feeding and
reproduction.

Studies of banded birds have shown that feeders make up a tiny, tiny
percentage of what the overwhelming majority of birds take in from
natural sources. Most birds who visit the feeder are only
supplementing their natural diet. When feeding stops they immediately
return to natural sources or they do what birds do, they fly south.

Bird can live short lives and some starve every winter regardless of
whether there are feeders or not. Yes there are exceptions but the
people who study birds all agree. Feeders are for our pleasure alone
and almost nothing is gained in the overall survival of the entire
bird population.

There are a few birds, of course, who are exceptions and who will die
if you don't feed them. That bird probably is unable to migrate or
otherwise search for food for some reason and would likely have died
anyway without reproducing.