[NatureNS] Question: Starling Behaviour

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From: Suzanne Townsend <tgssuzanne@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 20 May 2020 13:20:56 -0300
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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It=E2=80=99s great that more professionals and influencers are becoming les=
s
compartmentalized in their appreciation of and work with nature.

On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 1:07 PM John Kearney <j.f.kearney@gmail.com> wrote:

> 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. H=
ow
> 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 no=
t
> 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 Ethi=
cs:
>
>
>
> =E2=80=9CAvoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger. Be particularl=
y
> 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 th=
at
> 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.=E2=80=9D
>
>
>
> Audubon is more lenient: Here is an excerpt from their website:
>
>
>
> =E2=80=9CPlayback is one of the most powerful tools in a birder=E2=80=99s=
 struggle to see
> birds in the wild. It will arouse the curiosity of any species at any tim=
e
> 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 an=
y
> 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=E2=80=99s habitat=
 and,
> unlike pishing, targets a single species.=E2=80=9D
>
>
>
> So, it is no wonder that birders may feel that it=E2=80=99s okay to use m=
ob calls
> and bird recording to attract birds.
>
>
>
> I suggest that changing this birder behaviour requires scientific evidenc=
e
> followed by strong peer pressure.  I=E2=80=99d 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 positi=
on
> before making recommendations.
>
>
>
> Just my thoughts!
>
>
>
> Diane
>
>
>
>
>
> *From: *"naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca" <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
> on behalf of Shouty McShoutsalot <desolatechair@gmail.com>
> *Reply-To: *"naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
> *Date: *Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 11:04 AM
> *To: *naturens <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> 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 autonomo=
us
> recording units.
>
>
>
> *From:* naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca *On Behalf Of *Shouty McShoutsalot
> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 20, 2020 07:21
> *To:* naturens <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 a=
t
> will.
>
>
>
> On Tue., May 19, 2020, 21:38 John Kearney, <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. On=
e
> 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, i=
t
> 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 On Behalf Of Burkhard Plache
> Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2020 18:59
> To: 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 starlin=
gs
> 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 the starlings.
>
> My question is: Are starlings known to band together in times of trouble?
> If so, they must have some means of calling for h