Highett man fronts court after neighbours complained about him feeding birds in his own backyard

A HIGHETT man who has fed birds in his backyard for 20 years could be slapped with fines of up to $1000 after neighbours dobbed him in and his council took him to court.

A HIGHETT retiree faces fines of up to $1000 after neighbours dobbed him in for feeding birds in his Clyde St backyard.

Bradley Martell, 60, said he had been feeding birds small bits bread — first a wild duck and now pigeons — for 20 years without a single complaint, but since new neighbours moved in last year, Bayside Council had issued a warning and most recently a court summons.

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Mr Martell said he had talked to the neighbours and thought they’d reached a happy compromise — that he would feed birds only in the front, to minimise perceived disruption.

But despite this he believed his neighbour continued to complain, and now he faces a June 26 court date.

He said he was now stressed and confused. “It’s affecting my concentration,” he said.

“I only put a little bit of bread out at night.”

Council planning director Hamish Reid said people who fed birds in contravention of the local law could face a fine of $200, or up to $1000 if prosecuted at court.

“It can be an offence to feed birds on private land when the birds are not ordinarily kept on that land and where it interferes with another person,” he said.

Lewis Hiller, of Birdlife Bayside, said people shouldn’t feed birds because it could interfere with natural hunting instincts.

“Much more conducive to bird survival is the planting of native or indigenous plants which provide natural food and shelter, and provision of water sources,” he said.

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