birding-aus

Collecting birds

To: "Peter Waanders" <>, "Birding Aus" <>
Subject: Collecting birds
From: Michael Todd <>
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2003 22:35:02 +1000
Hello Peter and others,

I'm probably going to regret getting involved in this discussion, but I'm fairly sure that you have misconstrued what was being said in your quote below.

"As Pandiburra Bore is
the only South Australian location from which specimens have been taken it
was considered sound ornithology for present and future workers to be given
the opportunity to assess the identity and sub-specific status of a bird
found at such a distance from there."

I read that paragraph as stating that they wanted future workers to have the opportunity to decide for themselves the identity of that particular individual (ie. which subspecies) which was so far out of range. Fifty years from now the taxonomy of Yellow Chats might be very different to what it is now thus it could be of interest to future workers to see this particular individual. They can't go to other museums as they obviously have different specimens.

I've met the J. Eckert who wrote this article and can honestly that I was very impressed with the man.  I personally am uncomfortable with collecting specimens but I don't cast aspersions on those that do. Its probably in part a generational thing, it may be a dying tradition.

I know that many will say good riddance to the collecting of specimens. However they should remember that a large part of what we now know about birds (and animals in general) was discovered by the old-time collectors some of whom must have been brilliant observers without the technological aids that we take for granted today. Todays birdos should probably give a bit of recognition/ respect for those that came before them as each new generation tends to have it a little bit easier with a greater body of knowledge about our birds having been already documented. I'm in awe of birdos like John Gilbert who didn't have field guides, waterproof roof prisms and telescopes. If it wasn't for his gun he would have a great deal of difficulty identifying anything that he saw!

Works like Schodde and Mason's Directory of Australian Birds would not be possible without specimen collections. These collections also provide genetic material which will be of increasing importance in the future.

What I find more disturbing than the collecting of specimens is that people are so quick to demonise those who use different methods to their own. A little bit of tolerance goes a long way.

Cheers (I think)

Mick Todd
Griffith, NSW

At 07:35 PM 30/07/2003 +0930, Peter Waanders wrote:
Thanks Tony, the SA Ornithologist was still on my pile of things to read. I
have now read the article concerned and am thoroughly appalled by this
incident and the attitudes it reflects.

Eckert, J & Ludewigs, M: Yellow Chat Epthianura crocea at Tolderol Game
Reserve. South Australian Ornithologist 34, pp83-84, May 2003.

A few quotes:
"On 22 April 2002, a chat was flushed from an area of sedge and salt water
couch .... west of the bird hide of Tolderol Game Reserve..." (SA).
"The bird was not seen until 26 April 2002 when it was found on a property
adjoining Tolderol to the west some 2 km from the original sighting."
"The bird allowed vehicular approach to within 15 m. It was collected and is
now in the South Australian Museum, Reg. No. B 49,500. As Pandiburra Bore is
the only South Australian location from which specimens have been taken it
was considered sound ornithology for present and future workers to be given
the opportunity to assess the identity and sub-specific status of a bird
found at such a distance from there."

Obviously the observers must have been driving around with some means of
"collecting" the bird ( presumably some weapon). This is questionably in
itself - who goes birdwatching with a gun? Did they go out to deliberately
"collect" the bird?

Apart from that, the last quote is a blatant reflection of the
narrow-minded, parochial, old-fashioned attitude present here in SA. There
is no justification for shooting a bird in particular not boundaries on a
map. Presumably there are specimens in museums elsewhere in Australia. If
"workers" want to research Yellow Chat they can go and access them there.
Just because this bird happened to overshoot the State boundaries by a long
way is no justification for collecting it - certainly not in this day and
age. Instead, the observers should have made it more widely known that this
bird was present at Tolderol, so that people with the appropriate
equipement - telescopes, digital cameras, video cameras, whatever - could
have shared in the enjoyment of watching it and providing useful pictorial
evidence of this rare occurrence. Instead, they not only chose to keep this
sighting to themselves (and their little clique, one assumes), they went one
step further and shot it - thereby eliminating all chances for other
birdwatchers to see it.

It just shows how far behind we are here in Oz but particularly in SA.
Having come from the well-developed twitching scene in Western Europe
(imagine shooting a rarity in the UK and then publishing it!!!), I am
continuously frustrated by the secretive, old-fashioned attitudes of some of
these old socks who haven't moved into the 20th century yet - let alone the
21st. I am embarrased to be a birdwatcher in SA.

Being a member of the SAOA I might just look into this further. As far as
I'm concerned, the person who "collected" this "specimen" should be stripped
of their membership and any scientific standing they may still have, and
they should be publicly reprimanded.

Cheers

Peter Waanders
Waikerie, South Australia

Birding SA: http://www.riverland.net.au
E-mail:

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