State environmental officials said black bears entered at least 67 homes last year, setting a state record.
“A decade ago, we had less than 10, so bears have learned very, very quickly that people are a source of food and that's not a good thing,” said Jenny Dickson, Wildlife Division director for the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
DEEP is urging Connecticut residents to take down bird feeders and secure garbage to prevent attracting bears to their yards.
“Bird feeders and trash are the two biggest ways that bears tend to get themselves into trouble or have conflicts with people,” Dickson said.
DEEP recommends only bringing out garbage bins the morning of collection day or purchasing a bear-resistant garbage bin. As for bird feeders, they can go back up in December.
Bird watchers have other options
"Birds can find plenty of food in the form of insects, in the form of berries, even flower buds this time of year, “ said Corrie Folsom-O’Keefe, director of Bird Conservation at Audubon Connecticut.
If you want to help birds and make your yard more welcoming, Folsom-O'Keefe recommends putting out a bird bath.
“Another thing you can do is make sure that there are types of plants that provide cover. So conifers or shrubs that keep their leaves year round are going to provide great cover for birds," she said.
Folsom-O’Keefe also said to grow native trees, shrubs and plants which host the insects birds need to feed to their chicks.
Environmental officials consider penalties for seed
Since 2023, Connecticut has prohibited the intentional feeding of dangerous wildlife like black bears.
While that does not currently apply to putting out bird seed, Dickson said DEEP is working on new regulations that will clarify when an action changes from unintentional to intentional feeding of bears.
For example, if a homeowner’s bird feeder has been shown to attract bears, yet the homeowner keeps putting out bird seed, DEEP is determining the parameters of when wildlife officials can take action and what that action will include.
Dickson said many residents are getting the message, especially in the state’s northwest corner where the black bear population is highest.
“But they're still having issues with bears breaking into houses and part of the challenge is that at this point, the bears have learned that bad behavior,“ Dickson said. “Once you've learned something, it's really hard to unlearn it.”
Shooting bears is legal only in very limited circumstances
If a black bear enters a home or is directly threatening a person or a person’s pet, a Connecticut resident can shoot it. But it is a very narrow scope, according to Col. Chris Lewis, commander of the State Environmental Conservation Police.
“If the bear’s eating your chicken, it doesn't give you permission to shoot the bear. If the bear’s just in your yard that doesn't give you permission to kill the bear,” Lewis said.
In Connecticut chickens are classified as livestock, not pets.
Homeowners who have backyard chickens are advised by DEEP to put up electric fencing to protect them from black bears.
