Encyclopaedia of Birdcare

Wild Birds

Birds which are capable of maintaining themselves in the wild without deliberate assistance from man. Most such species are native, but a few are exotics which have escaped from captivity and have succeeded in establishing truly wild populations, for example the Ring-necked Parakeet, while others have been deliberately introduced by man, such as the Little Owl. In the cases of some species, certain populations may be genuinely wild, while others are artificially supported, as with Pheasants or Feral Pigeons. In the latter example, the term "feral" means "gone wild". Activities such as feeding birds or putting up nest boxes do not cause birds to become any less wild, but may make positive contributions to their conservation.

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A Bird On! Definition from the Encyclopaedia of Birdcare
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