Bird feeding in Melbourne: Glen Eira Council considers ban

RESIDENTS in part of Melbourne’s inner south won’t be able to feed birds, even in their own backyards, if their council introduces a law to ban bird feeding. And it’s all because of one complaint.

Bird-feeding could be outlawed in Glen Eira – even in people’s own backyards – after a Bentleigh East resident complained that his children could no longer play outside because of his bird-loving neighbour.

Councillors have agreed to work towards introducing a local law “focusing on the prohibition of (wild) bird feeding”, with the matter now heading to the council’s local law committee for consideration.

A Bentleigh East resident raised the issue with the council several months ago, saying his young children were housebound because his backyard was full of bird poo.

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He said his elderly neighbour constantly fed pigeons, bringing 50 to 100 of the birds flocking at any given time.

“There is a lot of bird faeces and I spend every Sunday cleaning it up,” he said.

“This is a severe health issue.”

The man said he’d been seeking a solution for more than two years, but under the Public Health Act, complainants are required to take logs of when feeding occurs and prove their health has been directly affected as a result.

The council’s report says as a result, issues that are “annoying and affect a person’s amenity” were difficult to address.

Cr Mary Delahunty first called for the report and said residents should not have to get a doctor’s certificate for the council to be able to take action over hordes of birds caused by bird feeding.

“There are limitations of the Public Health Act... and we need to recognise where the gaps are,” she said.

“This is about improving the local law because crossing the road (to Bayside Council) shouldn’t mean there’s different rules.”

Cr Joel Silver agreed it was an important issue that must not be downplayed.

“There’s a gap in the law that we can actually change,” he said.

Four other south-eastern municipalities have local laws prohibiting bird feeding that causes a public nuisance, including Bayside, which introduced it in 2012.

In August, a disabled pensioner was the first person to be prosecuted by the council and fined $550 for feeding birds in his Highett front yard.

The council took the matter to court following several complaints from a neighbour, with the case making headlines across Melbourne.

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