Angel Wing: A Term That Means Bad News for Waterfowl
If you have a lake or pond nearby, you probably know how much fun it is to feed the ducks and geese that frequent the area. It’s something that I did as a kid, as countless families have done for generations.
Unfortunately, as I have just recently learned, this recreational pastime is harming countless amounts waterfowl around the world.
I’ve wanted to talk about Angel Wing for a number of weeks now, and I finally have the opportunity to do so!
In this post, I’ll share the main cause of this disease. Plus, I’ll give you a few simple ways that you can help prevent it!
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Angel Wing – What is it?
Angel Wing is a disease in which the flight feathers grow faster than the underlying wing structure. In turn, it causes the last joint in one or both wings to unnaturally twist outward, rather than lying flat against the bird’s body. Some other common names for this syndrome are Airplane wing, Slipped wing, and Twisted wing. Primarily found in ducks and geese, it is a common issue among waterfowl.
Although this disease doesn’t seem to cause the birds any pain, it does strip the birds of their ability to fly. This becomes an issue in a couple of big ways. For one, it leaves the birds vulnerable to predators; They can no longer fly to safety when they need to flee the area. Second, it makes migration impossible since they cannot leave their current living area.
I recently visited a recreational park where I saw one Muscovy Duck and multiple geese who had angel wing. I was saddened at the fact that so many of the birds were affected by the disease, knowing that unhealthy diets provided by humans is most likely the cause. I’ve included pictures throughout this post showing just a handful of the ‘angel wings’ we saw that day.
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What Causes This Issue?
As you’ve probably seen, ducks and geese that live at lakes, ponds, or recreational parks are a popular sight amongst visitors. Many people visit the parks to feed the waterfowl, which is where the root of the problem lies.
White bread (or any bread, for that matter), chips, crackers, candy, etc. are all harmful to the birds. They contain little to no nutrients, and contribute to a diet high in calories & carbohydrates, with low levels of vitamin D, E, and manganese .
When these foods are given in high amounts, the birds’ accelerated (& unnatural) growth causes the wing to develop too quickly for proper bone support.
Unless the condition is caught early on in juveniles, it is permanent and irreversible.
While a duck or goose is still young, the affected wing(s) can be secured with vet wrap. This will hold the wing in place so that the wing can grow in the proper direction until the joint becomes strong enough to support the heavy feathers. Although perfect healing is not guaranteed, the young bird has a better chance at a normal life than if the condition were to remain untreated.
*NOTE: Please leave this (above) task to the wildlife professionals. If you notice a duck or goose who may have angel wing (or another injury of any kind), contact your local wildlife rescue center to report the injury.*
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What Can I Do To Help?
Angel wing is easily preventable if we all work together by providing our beloved waterfowl with proper, healthy snacks.
As a general rule, you should not feed the birds any “human food”. This includes bread, popcorn, crackers, chips, cereal, candy, and most (if not all) processed foods.
However, there are some simple snacks that are cost effective and easy to bring along with you to the lake! Foods like waterfowl feed/ duck pellets, seedless grapes (cut in half), shredded kale, Swiss chard, and rolled oats are great options.
Waterfowl pellets are cheap and can be purchased in bulk at most feed stores. A personal favorite of ours is rolled oats. We buy it in bulk at our local grocery store for 99 cents per pound, and we always carry a container of it in my backpack; You never know when you might need some good ‘ole goose munch while you’re out and about!
To make it easy to remember, I have put together a list of foods that are both good and bad for the waterfowl. Please feel free to save the list and share it with friends and family! That way we can continue to work together to maintain happy and healthy ducks and geese!
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I hope this post has inspired you to provide healthier snacks to your local waterfowl. With the help of communities across the country, we can minimize the effects of poor nutrition and disease in wildlife!
Lastly, I want to hear from you!
1) Where is your favorite place (lake, pond, recreational park, etc.) to go hang out with the local waterfowl? 2) Now that you know what kinds of foods are healthier for waterfowl, which snack will you be feeding them next?
