The article discusses the findings of a bird counting study conducted in 170 villages in Eastern Poland, which explored the impacts of winter supplementary feeding on local bird populations. Despite the common belief that feeding birds in winter is crucial for their survival and reproduction, the study revealed that environmental conditions and traditional lifestyles play a much more critical role in influencing bird presence and diversity. During the count, a total of 9,417 birds were recorded, with 74% of the villages having at least one supplementary feeding site, which attracted up to 20 bird species in some locations.

Critical to the study’s findings was the realization that while feeding sites can attract more birds, their diversity was largely dependent on factors such as the thickness of the snow cover and the presence of domestic livestock. The thicker the snow and the more domestic birds present, the greater the variety of wild birds observed. Interestingly, the modernity of a household, as indicated by the type of structures used for keeping livestock, had little effect on the avian population, suggesting that traditional lifestyles may better support bird diversity.

Overall, this research challenges the conventional wisdom that winter feeding is the most beneficial action for bird populations, instead highlighting the profound influence of broader environmental and ecological factors. These insights could guide conservation efforts and inform future studies on how best to support and protect bird species during challenging winter conditions.