next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects
{mso-st
This is a multipart message in MIME format.
------=_NextPart_000_0039_01D62EA6.F61CF4F0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Please note Diane that I directed my remarks about unethical birding to the
play-back of mobbing calls, which does not avoid but instead aims to stress
birds. I do agree with you that many dimensions of birding and ornithology
disturb birds. We need to reassess our actions continually. How much of our
intervention in the life of birds stems from meeting their needs or our
needs? Science-based evidence is a useful tool, but it is not enough. We
also need to decide what kind of relationship we want to have with them. If
it is one of respect, and understanding our lives as intertwined with
theirs, then many of our practices may have to be called into question.
John
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca On Behalf Of Diane LeBlanc
Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 11:50
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Question: Starling Behaviour
With regard to playback and mob calls, the ABA Code of Ethics limits but
does not ban the use of audio: Here is an excerpt from their Code of Ethics:
"Avoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger. Be particularly cautious
around active nests and nesting colonies, roosts, display sites, and feeding
sites. Limit the use of recordings and other audio methods of attracting
birds, particularly in heavily birded areas, for species that are rare in
the area, and for species that are threatened or endangered. Always exercise
caution and restraint when photographing, recording, or otherwise
approaching birds."
Audubon is more lenient: Here is an excerpt from their website:
"Playback is one of the most powerful tools in a birder's struggle to see
birds in the wild. It will arouse the curiosity of any species at any time
of year, but it works best on territorial species during nesting season.
Birds that might otherwise be too shy to come into the open can be attracted
by the sound of a potential rival. Whether this trickery has any significant
impact on the birds is not so clear.
Fundamentally, birding disturbs birds. Everything we do has an impact on
them. But in some situations playback can be less disruptive than other
methods of attracting birds, at times even less disruptive than sitting
quietly and waiting for a bird to show. Proponents argue that playback
reduces the need to physically enter and disturb a bird's habitat and,
unlike pishing, targets a single species."
So, it is no wonder that birders may feel that it's okay to use mob calls
and bird recording to attract birds.
I suggest that changing this birder behaviour requires scientific evidence
followed by strong peer pressure. I'd be very interested to see studies,
and, in particular, meta-analyses on this topic. The NSBS is strongly
committed to putting birds first but we need to be in a defensible position
before making recommendations.
Just my thoughts!
Diane
From: " <mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca" < <mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> on behalf of Shouty McShoutsalot <
<mailto:desolatechair@gmail.com> desolatechair@gmail.com>
Reply-To: " <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" <
<mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 11:04 AM
To: naturens < <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Question: Starling Behaviour
Education is incremental. However there birders who should know better who
still employ pishing.
On Wed., May 20, 2020, 08:08 John Kearney, <j.f.kearney@gmail.com
<mailto:j.f.kearney@gmail.com> > wrote:
That is unfortunate, and those who are doing so are not following the
ethical guidelines of Birds Canada and the American Birding Association. In
some cases, judicious use of playback is considered permissible for
conservation research. However, as noted in an earlier discussion in this
forum, this is increasingly unnecessary with the availability of autonomous
recording units.
From: <mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca
On Behalf Of Shouty McShoutsalot
Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 07:21
To: naturens < <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Question: Starling Behaviour
Re mobbing calls regrettably it is still a common practice among birders.
With cell phones and birding apps its easy to produce and playback them at
will.
On Tue., May 19, 2020, 21:38 John Kearney, <j.f.kearney@gmail.com
<mailto:j.f.kearney@gmail.com> > wrote:
Hi Burkhard,
Many bird species have mobbing calls. You may have seen the Black-capped
Chickadee doing this many times. Perhaps you thought it was curious about
you but more likely, it was letting other birds know of your presence. One
of the fascinating things about mobbing calls is that some species
understand the unique mobbing calls of another species as a mobbing call and
will join in multi-species harassment of a predator. Mobbing works, it is
believed, not so much because the predator is frightened, but because it has
been outed. It has lost the advantage of a surprise attack. In the past,
birders would play recordings of mobbing calls to attract a wide variety of
species, and with the hopes flushing out a rare bird. Birders have abandoned
this practice since it causes unnecessary stress to the birds and distracts
them from more important tasks such as feeding young or building up fat
reserves for their migration.
John
-----Original Message-----
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca <mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
On Behalf Of Burkhard Plache
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2020 18:59
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Subject: [NatureNS] Question: Starling Behaviour
Hello fellow naturalists:
We have a pair of starlings is raising its brood in a former hairy
woodpecker cavity in our front yard. Today, there were some 10-12 starlings
scattered in the nearby branches. A few minutes later, a big ruckus broke
out, with a squirrel departing the tree at high speed pursued by some 5-6 of
th