Feeding birds in SA or WA could land you a $30,000 fine

A simple act of human generosity could land residents a staggering, little known fine in two Australian states.

A simple act of community goodwill could land residents a staggering, little-known fine in two Australian states, a lawyer has warned.

While community members in South Australia and Western Australia might think they’re being generous when they offer a bit of torn-off food to the local birdlife, Avinash Singh of Sydney’s Astor Legal flagged it may cost them.

Residents in SA can cop a fine of as much $30,000 if they “intentionally or recklessly feed pigeons with the knowledge that they are causing a local nuisance”. Even if it can’t be proven they deliberately caused a nuisance, they can still be charged up to $10,000.

The legislation, Mr Singh told Yahoo News Australia, “was enacted to protect communities from local nuisance” (eg flocks of birds) and to prevent littering.

“There is an emphasis by the South Australian parliament on protecting property values and this legislation is one of the tools they can use to prevent behaviour that can negatively affect this,” he continued.

Feeding birds in public could land you a hefty fine in two Australian states. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Crosling

While not as hefty as in SA, West Australian offenders may be hit with a $20,000 fine if found guilty of the same behaviour.

Feeding pigeons or wild animals without a licence is also considered an offence.

Mr Singh said it was not uncommon for local councils to issue pigeon-feeding infringements, “particularly … when a complaint is made”.

“Quite often neighbours will take videos and photos of the number of pigeons and the person feeding them,” he said.

“It’s definitely one of Australia’s strangest laws, and one that while it may be annoying for other people passing by or trying to relax, it’s not something people think they can get in trouble with the law for.”

Australia’s largest wildlife rescue organisation, WIRES, warns against feeding native birds for myriad reasons. Picture: David Caird

In Australia’s other jurisdictions, Mr Singh explained, such issues are dealt with at the discretion of the local National Parks and Wildlife Service office.

Feeding birds in public will not only cause potential harm to your wallet, but to the creatures themselves.

WIRES, Australia’s largest wildlife rescue organisation, warns against the public feeding any native birds for myriad reasons, including causing an increase in their “aggression and stress as many try to feed together” and in “the quantity of non-native birds … as the more food they get the more they breed”.

It can also spread disease, encourage birds to “become dependent on humans for their survival” and “can change the balance of species in the wild, as it can increase some species, which in turn, decreases others”, WIRES explained.