Q. We have at home a large bird cage with six birds, and it is a delight for our young children and the neighbors kids too.
We wonder, 1) since it is an ancient tradition that on Shabbat Shira you feed the birds, why don't people do it in our days?
A. Indeed there is an old tradition for some to feed the birds on Shabbos Shira, based on the fact that they sang with us by the sea (Orchois Chaim 324, Eishel Avrohom, Aruch Hashulchan 324: 11, and others).
A Midrash is quoted which states that the B'nai Yisroel fed seeds that grew from the trees inside the Red Sea to birds and these birds joined in Israel’s song of praise to Hashem.
Sephardic sources quote Chazon Ovadia- (Shabbat, 3, p. 24 and 4, p. 270) who mentions that many of the great Acharonim question the words of the Magen Avraham and write that since this custom was enacted as a Mitzva, one may indeed follow this custom on Shabbos Shira. Tosefes Shabbos rules similarly. He proceeds to discuss several reasons for this leniency.
On question 2296 regarding feeding pigeons on Shabbos we wrote: “One is permitted to feed the animals he owns and he has to take care for (Talmud Shabbos 155b, O.H. 324: 11). However, even if the animals are his, if he does not have to feed them and they can usually find food for themselves as most flying birds do, it would be prohibited to feed them, as it is considered “Tircha Yeseira” (Mishna Berura ibid. 29, 31), even on Shabbos Shirah. Shulchan Aruch mentions doves in his prohibition.”
Many Poskim avert keeping the minhag to feed birds on Shabbos Shira, since it involves feeding wild animals that are not under our care, and that is prohibited on Shabbos (Magen Avrohom 324: 7, Yaavetz ibid. Mishna Berura 324: 31)
Some place bird seeds before Shabbos begins. (Nitei Gavriel - Purim 10: 1)
Horav Shlomo Miller's opinion is similar.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller, Horav Dovid Pam and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
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