Is moldy bread turning these swans pink?

The "pink feather syndrome" is caused by a fungus called Chrysonilia sitophila, which grows on decaying bread and affects birds that eat it.

Graham Neale, 59, a member of the group Caversham Wildlife Rescue and Support (CWRS) in Reading, said they have placed signs along Thames Promenade warning people of the dangers.

It claims shop owners are even illegal dumping large quantities of rotten food into a river and say the swans are being affected as a result.

They said "around 30 percent" of the swan population is showing signs of "pink feather syndrome" and have urged the public to stop throwing moldy bread into rivers.

Neale and other volunteers have seen food dumped on multiple occasions near Caversham Bridge.

He said: "One of our members saw this guy bringing a bag of wild bird seed and he enticed the swans over. He opened his trunk and he started throwing this food — it was just green, absolutely disgusting.

"My friend managed to scoop some out but we've got pictures of the swans eating this stuff.

"We've caught five shopkeepers throwing loads of moldy food, not just bread, wraps and all kinds of stuff that is just green.

"The reason shopkeepers do this, we found out, is they have to pay for private contractors to come and take the moldy food away.

"Instead the shopkeepers are just throwing it all into the river and that's why there's such an increase in pink feather syndrome this year."

RSPCA says the decaying bread can cause a fungus in water that gets on swans' bills, spreading to their feathers when they preen, to become a condition known as pink feather syndrome.

It reduces their natural waterproofing and their ability to swim and fly, turning feathers brittle and waterlogged and leaving them at risk of dying from hypothermia.

Neale said: "This is the worst year I've seen for pink feather syndrome which is when moldy bread gets thrown into the river and the moldy bread in the river causes a fungus in the river and that then gets on the swans which turns their feathers pink.

"It also makes the feathers go brittle and snap off and it makes them less water resistant and it can be fatal if they get it really bad.

"But if they eat the moldy bread it can cause respiratory problems and that can be fatal too."

CWRS then put up signs in the area to stop the practice, but Neale says he still came across a couple people carrying trash bags of moldy food by the river.

He added: "It'd probably be about 30 percent of the swans got some kind of pink feather."

In a statement, Reading Borough Council said: "It is clearly unacceptable for individuals to be dumping items of food into the river and, having received the reports, the council is treating this as illegal dumping to address this and protect the swans.

"At this time, there is no clear evidence to identify who the individuals may be so we would ask anyone with any information to please provide it to our recycling and enforcement team which will help us identify and take the necessary action against the perpetrators."

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: "We know how much people enjoy feeding swans, ducks and geese, however it's important to make sure they are given the right food.

"Unfortunately bread fills them up without giving them the nutrients they need and it can affect their health.

"We'd encourage people to offer them finely chopped greens, such as cabbage, spinach and lettuce, as well as mixed corn, grain, wheat or bird seed.

"Any feeding should also be done in moderation and only as a supplement to their natural diet."