“As the conversation regarding management of the waterfowl population in the Town of Bloomsburg evolves; there is broad agreement that artificial feeding of waterfowl is detrimental to both the geese and our community. The following are among the possible detrimental impacts of feeding waterfowl:

• Poor nutrition (many of the food items commonly used to feed waterfowl are low in protein and are poor substitutes for natural food; i.e. bread, corn and popcorn).
• Increased hybridization (i.e. interbreeding which may compromise the wild population).
• Water pollution (unnatural quantities of waterfowl droppings in ponds can result in issues such as summer algal blooms and hazardous e-coli counts).
• Delayed migration (feeding alters normal migration patterns).
• Concentrations at unnatural sites (artificial feeding attracts birds to human habitats).
• Overcrowding (attracts unnatural numbers which may be beyond available natural food and water supplies).
• Spread of disease (it is unhealthy for waterfowl to feed in the same area where droppings are prevalent). Diseases not generally transmissible in a wild setting find crowded, unsanitary conditions more favorable. Many waterfowl die-offs over the course of recent years involved artificial feeding.  This concern is amplified by the recent identification of Highly Transmissible Avian Flu in Pennsylvania.
• Costly management efforts.
• Unnatural behaviors (waterfowl become dependent and conditioned to “handouts”; and may become more aggressive and lose their wariness of humans).

With this in mind, and regardless of your position in the on-going debate, the Bloomsburg Police and Town of Bloomsburg respectfully ask all residents and visitors for their cooperation in scrupulously refraining from feeding the waterfowl inhabiting the area.”