[EBB Sightings] BIRDER BEHAVIOR The ABA code of Ethics

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I just returned from my first birding tour to Nebraska where the tour 
leader played a Screech Owl tape to locate a variety of birds, including 
the aforementioned.  That I thought was bad enough but when another tour 
came in and resorted to the use of flashlights to flush Woodcock and locate 
owls I thought that was beyond the pail.  It's not how I like to bird and 
if all the tours are doing is the numbers game then maybe ABA needs to 
develop broader ethics for both individuals and tours.

Sheila Dickie


At 11:17 AM 3/23/2005, SatinTex at aol.com wrote:
>I thought the real danger of playing tapes was during breeding season when 
>birds might abandon their nest because they mistakenly think their 
>territory is being threatened by a competitor. Is that incorrect?
>I've rarely used tapes myself but I have seen them used many times when 
>I've encountered tour groups in the field even in places where their use 
>is banned like Cave Creek Canyon. I'll confess that after about 20 trips 
>to the Rio Grande Valley without seeing Audubon's Oriole I resorted to a 
>tape (in January) and the bird popped up within 5 seconds.  So I certainly 
>understand the temptation especially for leaders of expensive tours..
>When I started birding back in the 1980s there just weren't that many 
>birders.  Maybe the use of tapes needs to be reconsidered given the large 
>number of birders in the field today. I'd love to hear a definitive rather 
>than anecdotal answer.
>Maureen
>El Sobrante




Sheila Dickie
Alumni Relations, Publications & Public
    Relations Director
Editor, CED News & CED Views
College of Environmental Design
University of California, Berkeley

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the tour leader played a Screech Owl tape to locate a variety of birds,
including the aforementioned.  That I thought was bad enough but
when another tour came in and resorted to the use of flashlights to flush
Woodcock and locate owls I thought that was beyond the pail.  It's
not how I like to bird and if all the tours are doing is the numbers game
then maybe ABA needs to develop broader ethics for both individuals and
tours.


Sheila Dickie


At 11:17 AM 3/23/2005, SatinTex at aol.com wrote:

thought the real danger of playing tapes was during breeding season when
birds might abandon their nest because they mistakenly think their
territory is being threatened by a competitor. Is that incorrect?

 

I've rarely used tapes myself but I have seen them used many times when
I've encountered tour groups in the field even in places where their use
is banned like Cave Creek Canyon. I'll confess that after about 20 trips
to the Rio Grande Valley without seeing Audubon's Oriole I resorted to a
tape (in January) and the bird popped up within 5 seconds.  So I
certainly understand the temptation especially for leaders of expensive
tours..

 

When I started birding back in the 1980s there just weren't that many
birders.  Maybe the use of tapes needs to be reconsidered given the
large number of birders in the field today. I'd love to hear a definitive
rather than anecdotal answer.

 

Maureen

El Sobrante
news,
ced_alumni" in the
you have questions,
call Lawrence Lawler 510/642-7459.

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