This Friday – Take a Bird to Lunch.There is a minhag to feed birds on Shabbat Shira (better on Fri.) as an act of HAKARAT HATOV on two different levels.
There is an old custom to feed birds on Shabbat Shira. Note that there are halachic problems with feeding animals other than one's own on Shabbat. Sefer HaToda'ah, for example, says that one should provide for the birds on Erev Shabbat Shira, not on Shabbat itself.
The reasons given for this custom help us in a gentle way to become more sensitive to the needs of the animals around us. There is a tradition that on the first Shabbat of the Manna, not only did people go out looking for Manna, but they (wicked people, says Rashi) had previously scattered Manna around the camp in order to find it and "make a liar out of Moshe".
Birds came by early in the morning and ate up the Manna, thus protecting the honor of Moshe, and of G-d Who had said that Manna would not fall on Shabbat. In repayment "one good turn deserves another" style, we feed the birds around this Shabbat when we read of the Manna in the weekly portion.
Another reason for the custom is given. In this sedra, we joyously sing praise to G-d for His having taken us out of Egypt and saved us from the Egyptians. Singing is the special domain of the birds. That is how they express themselves in acknowledgement of the Creator (so to speak - or so to sing). We borrowed their skill; therefore we "pay royalties" on our Song by feeding birds on (before) this Shabbat.
We should not see this custom as just throwing a few crumbs to the birds. The act is a reminder of our obligation to repay kindnesses, HAKARAT HATOV, and of our attitude and treatment of the world's creatures in general.
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