Tallinn bans feeding most urban birds
The Tallinn City Council has approved an amendment to the city's public order regulations that will ban the feeding of free-ranging birds and animals beginning December 1. An exception will allow the feeding of small songbirds during the winter months.
The amendment establishes clear rules for public spaces by prohibiting the feeding of free-ranging birds and animals within the city, Kairet Remmak-Grassmann, deputy chair of the Center Party group on the Tallinn City Council said.
"The exception applies to small songbirds such as tits, bullfinches and sparrows during the winter period," Remmak-Grassmann said.
According to one of the initiators of the amendment, the goal is to prevent concentrations of larger birds and rodents in urban areas, which can lead to deteriorating public cleanliness and potential risks to public health and safety.
"The exception for songbirds is based on the principle that feeding them during the winter does not create comparable negative impacts," Remmak-Grassmann said, adding that assisting injured or helpless animals and birds remains permitted.
Sven Sester, chair of the Isamaa group on the Tallinn City Council, said larger birds such as gulls and pigeons, along with rodents, tend to gather in places where they are regularly fed.
"Food scraps left behind increase the rodent population around buildings, not to mention that offering bread products and other processed foods can be harmful to birds in the long run," Sester said. He added that indiscriminate feeding with inappropriate food can damage birds' health and may ultimately lead to their death.
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Editor: Mirjam Mäekivi, Argo Ideon
