City Officials Give QC Residents a Warning About Ducks

City of Davenport officials want you to stop feeding the ducks at area parks.

That's the message Davenport Parks and Recreation Department posted on their Facebook page:

It's that time of year again for our webbed-footed snowbirds to head south. Help them get beach bod ready -- please no more feeding the ducks! Corn feeders will be removed at Vander Veer by October 28th.

Ducks are currently readying to migrate to a warmer climate, and feeding can alter natural migration patterns.

According to the Department of Environmental Conservation,

Feeding alters normal migration patterns of waterfowl by shortening or even eliminating them. Ducks, reluctant to leave in the winter, may not survive sudden cold. If the artificial feeding is stopped in time, ducks and geese can quickly adapt to finding natural foods and will follow their companions south.

Experts say you should avoid feeding ducks year-round, not just before winter. Feeding can also cause waterfowl to become dependent on handouts, leading to potentially aggressive behavior towards the humans that feed them.