Hello all birding-aus readers. I thought I would offer the following from a
'non-twitchers' point of
view.
As part of a variety of survey techniques when censusing wetland birds in
northern Victoria
(Australia) I have used species-specific tapes at wetlands where Bitterns could
be present.
For the handful of times we used tapes in the 100s of wetlands visited, only a
few responses
were ever heard by myself and these were often not the same call we just played!
Apart from the confusing results using this technique it was a valuable method
in recording
Bittern spp. at sites where we had no other evidence they were present.
While spotlighting was never used to census crepuscular and cryptic wetland
birds, this audio
technique seemed relatively benign in comparison, in that responding birds did
not show
themselves or sound alarmed.
Any 'Code of Ethics' related to bird censusing needs to take account of
legitimate scientific
surveys and monitoring of our avifauna, especially where it is part of an
information gathering
project on habitat or species conservation.
This discussion should address any survey techniques in the light of their
impact on habitats
and species and there appropriateness in gathering otherwise difficult
information.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Martin O'Brien
Wildlife Policy Officer
Flora and Fauna Branch
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
GPO Box 41
East Melbourne, 3002
Victoria, AUSTRALIA
Tel: +61 3 9412 4273
Fax: +61 3 9412 4586
e-mail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
