Ethics of bird watching
A recent series of posts on the birding forum Birding-Aus discussed the ethics of birding. This thread had a particular emphasis on the practice of some birders of playing recordings of the calls of hard to see birds. This method is used in an attempt to attract the bird to come closer. The theory is that the bird will think this is an interloper on his territory or that it will come to investigate out of curiosity.
Some birders are strongly in favour of this practice and use it often, others use the method sparingly while others are strongly opposed to it. I think that it is cheating, and prefer to use my birding skills to track down the elusive bird. The only concession I make is that I will occasionally use a method called pishing, in which one makes hissing or kissing noises with your mouth. The way I do it is to suck air through my teeth against a tightened lip – it’s actually very easy to do and quite hard to describe in words.
As a result of this discussion, several people posted their bird club’s code of ethics. I thought it was so good I have included it below.
- The welfare of birds must come first.
- Habitat must be protected.
- Nests, eggs and the immediate vicinity must not be disturbed.
- Keep disturbance of birds and their habitat to a minimum.
- Abide by the bird protection laws at all times.
- Keep your pets at home.
- When you find a rare bird, think carefully about whom you should tell.
- Make your records available to the local bird recorder.
- Respect the rights of land owners.
- Respect the rights of other people in the countryside.
- Be an ambassador for birdwatchers generally. We do not want to be unwelcome in the future
This is a simple list of easy to follow instructions with the welfare of the birds in mind.
Thanks to Alan for posting this on Birding-Aus and the Hunter Bird Observers Club. It’s their code and similar codes have been adopted by other clubs in NSW.
Todays’ photo is of a Yellow Rumped Thornbill, a species that responds well to pishing.
Yellow Rumped Thornbill
Bird Word: Diagnostic
Yellow Rumped Thornbill
Diagnostic: a feature of a bird that helps to distinguish it from other species being observed. It can refer to plumage colour, size, shape, behaviour or call. For example, the call of a Laughing Kookaburra is diagnostic; no other species of kingfisher sounds like it except perhaps the similar Blue-Winged Kookaburra. The colour of a Blackbird distinguishes it from a Grey Shrike Thrush. The size of a pelican sets it apart from a tern or gull. The beak of a thornbill is slender compared with a finch.
Zebra Finch
What is Field Guide?
No Comments »27th September, 2006; Category: Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about Birding #8
What is a Field Guide?
A field guide is a book which helps the birder to identify the birds in the field (in the wild). Some species of birds can be very similar. In Australia, for example, the thornbills are mostly little brown birds often jokingly called LBBs (Little Brown Birds). They can be infuriatingly hard to identify as they feed high the canopies of trees.
A field guide helps to sort out the different species and give them a name.
If you are lucky! And clever.
Yellow Rumped Thornbill
New Species for my Home List
3 Comments »17th July, 2006; Category: Garden birds, Murray Bridge, Nocturnal birds, Owls Frogmouths and Nightjars
After living in the same home for over 20 years it is a rare event to add a new bird species to my “home list.” So it was a delight a few days ago when I disturbed a Spotted Nightjar in our little patch of mallee scrub. It flew before I had seen it roosting on the ground. This is not surprising because the spot where it was sitting was covered in leaves and twigs from the surrounding trees. The spots on its wings were diagnostic, and it was not a Brown Falcon as was my first reaction. Too small, wrong colour and the spots – it had to be a Spotted Nightjar.
Spotted Nightjar
A few hours later I did a thorough search of the area where it might have landed, but it was not to be seen. With its amazing camouflage I may well have walked within a metre and not seen it. While it is exciting to have such a species in our little patch, I am concerned about its future if it hangs around. Being ground roosting during the day, it is in danger of being stumbled upon by the neighbour’s cat. This pet does regular patrols through our garden – despite some attempts at discouragement on our part.
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A Quick Visit – Grey Fantail
A Grey Fantail paid us a quick visit yesterday.
I have been on the lookout for this over recent weeks. I even thought I heard one in the garden on several occasions, but every time I go out to check, it is nowhere to been seen. Yesterday was almost the same. I glimpsed it briefly in the garden through the lounge room door. By the time I’d gathered my camera, it had disappeared. The photo below was taken a few weeks ago at the Pangarinda Arboretum. It’s not a good photo as it doesn’t show its face. This should be a relatively easy bird to photograph, but I’ll have to be patient with this one.
Grey Fantail
Grey Fantails are reasonably common and widespread in the Murray Bridge area. They are also common and widespread throughout much of Australia. It always delights us when one or two come to visit our garden. Strangely, I have never recorded this species breeding in our garden. This is despite them being resident just up the road from us.
Its cousin, the Rufous Fantail would have to be one of my favourite Australian birds. Unfortunately, this species lives a long way from our home.