Groundskeeper snitches on one of the tenants for feeding birds, dragging the landlady into a full-blown backyard feud, but the tenant secretly keeps feeding the birds: 'I think she’s going to complain again'

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Jun 11, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Let us start by saying this… we understand why this situation arose. Because we might have done the same thing. Hey, if you have a bunch of cute birds flying past your balcony day in and day out, you too might be tempted to place down a birdfeeder and watch these tiny adorable birds a little more up-close. At least, we would have been tempted. And we would not have thought that there was anything wrong about it. As long as it is our own private balcony, us paying for the seeds, us cleaning up whatever mess the birds or seeds make… then what's the harm?

But there is potential harm, and that's the difference between doing this on your own private property and on a rental. Birds attract all kinds of issues, and if the other tenants notice a problem happening, then it is fair for the other tenants to be concerned. But it wasn't the tenants who had a problem with this person feeding birds… it's the salty groundskeeper who was already upset with the tenant over something else.

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  • 01

    "[Am I wrong] for still feeding the birds around my house after the grounds keeper ratted me out to my landlady?"

    "I did move the bird seed from the window box... and put it on my balcony. I didn't ask if that was okay."
    via Unsplash / Anna K

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    I moved into this house in February with my roommate. We live on the top floor and the landlady's daughter lives on the ground floor. Two guys live in the converted garage in the garden.
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 03
    There is a groundskeeper named Mary. She takes care of the common areas and waters the plants in the garden 3 times a week. She also cleans the other 3 units of the neighbors who share the space with us.
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 04
    When we first moved in she asked us if we wanted her to clean our house too like she did for the previous tenants but we said no thank you, respectfully. My roommate and I are very clean, quiet and respectful. We keep to ourselves, but are always pleasant around the shared property and get along well with the other tenants and the landlady.
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 05
    Mary was nice to us until one day, the glass table in the garden shattered. My roommate got a text from the landlady asking what happened, since Mary said she saw my roommate running away scared from the shattered table the day it broke...
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 06
    Untrue since my roommate was on a vacation. I was home that day and saw/heard nothing, only Mary doing garden work, but saw the shattered glass later in the day.
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 07
    After my roommate was able to confirm she had been out of the city for days and knew nothing about the broken table, Mary has been super weird with us. She barely says hello or looks at us, crosses the street if she sees us, etc. We figured she was upset she got caught trying to blame my roommate for the table.
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 08
    So, about the birds. We live in a city with lots of beautiful trees and flowers. many different finches are around our house and in the garden. We live on a de d end street that's very quiet, it's home to about 15 stray cats.
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 09
    The neighbors all leave food and water for the cats every day. It's a beautiful street that takes care of the animals.
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 10
    I bought bird seed for finches about a month ago and put some with water in the window box in front of the kitchen. A few finches and mourning doves visit every morning.
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 11
    I always check to make sure it's clean and there are no seeds or around. The window box is over part of the garden no one uses so I thought if the seeds fell, they fall into some plants and I always checked to clean them. It's also been raining quite a lot so the yard gets cleaned by the rain.
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 12
    Mary wrote a message to the landlady saying I was feeding the birds and that it would attract rats and cockroaches. Mind you the house was fumigated a month ago (I have never seen a cockroach on the property) and with all of the stray cats on the street, I have never seen any rats in the street or in this neighborhood, not once.
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 13
    I complied without protest. But, I moved the bird seed to my balcony. It's a private balcony and no one can see, but could definitely see the birds coming. The seeds are 100% contained on my balcony and I clean it every day.
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 14
    I have seen Mary looking up at my balcony a few times and I think she's going to complain again. Am I the a hole for continuing to feed the birds?
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 15
    Cheezburger Image 10515085312
    via Unsplash / Anna K

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Sigh. Difficult situation. We understand both sides. We get the concern about the cats and the concern about the pests, but… if the birds were there already and all this person is doing is feeding them… then maybe there's an overreaction on the groundskeeper's side. Maybe. Tell us if we're wrong. 

  • 16
    ghosto4st Info: did you receive a notice from the landlady to stop the bird feeding? If not, I would bring up the fact that the neighborhood feeds the stray cats and has not had a pest problem. You would be in the clear as you didn't receive an official notice. If you have, I would comply and stop the bird feeding all together. Seems like Mary doesn't like both of you and is trying to stir up drama to bring consequences.
    via ghosto4st
  • 17
    Immediate-Spinach372 OP I am sorry, I had to cut out some info because it was originally too long. The landlady said Mary wanted me to get rid of the bird seed in the window box. The landlady never said anything herself, just told me what Mary said, which is also odd because Mary has my phone number. I did move the bird seed from the window box... and put it on my balcony. I didn't ask if that was okay.
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 18
    Cheezburger Image 10515086080
    via Unsplash / Anna K

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • It would not be the first time that a neighbor (or a groundskeeper) simply didn't like a tenant - for whatever reason - and made it their business to make their lives miserable. As long as the landlady is okay with you feeding the birds… we think it's okay for you to keep doing it. 

  • 19
    Next Possibility_01 why would you invite birds to an area where there are 15 stray cats????? but honestly, they do bring pests of all kinds to the yard
    via Next_Possibility_01
  • 20
    Immediate-Spinach372 OP The birds were there long before I started leaving seed out for them hahaha, but I understand your point about the pests. I have never seen any on our property or on our street, even our neighborhood, but still, I get your point.
    via Immediate-Spinach372
  • 21
    Cheezburger Image 10515085568
    via Unsplash / Anna K

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 22
    sportsfan3177 Gentle YTA here. You are living in a shared space. My mom's upstairs neighbor had a bird feeder on her balcony and no matter how much she cleaned, they still ended up with a mouse infestation. Setting up bird feeders should not be allowed in an apartment building. (Your neighbors are also AHs for feeding the stray cat population. I feel for them but putting food out for animals absolutely draws in pests and rodents).
    via sportsfan3177
  • 23
    miklovesrum NTA, unless there's something in your contract about not feeding the birds. It sounds to me like Mary broke the table and was caught lying about it and is now trying to get petty revenge.
    via miklovesrum
  • 24
    Sad-Beautiful420 I don't think you're doing anything wrong, unless the landlord says something to you directly. The glass table she may blame you for or maybe she did it herself but once at my cousins house as a kid we were sitting on the patio not touching the table or near it and it just suddenly shattered, so that's another option for what happened there.
    via Sad-Beautiful420

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