I personally have no problem passing on info about where birds are, if
(as Tony specified) they are genuine bird watchers who seem ethically
competent - however, I also don't believe that the location of
ultra-rare birds should be put into the public domain. I've met the
occasional birder in Australia who has no compunction about disturbing
birds at nests to count eggs, or tramp through grass where all sorts
of birds could be nesting just to flush quail. I've heard horror
stories from QPWS staff about professional birdos beating bushes to
flush Rufous Scrub-birds for tourists, or hundreds of people turning
up at a waterhole to see a Painted Snipe - only to trample the viable
habitat on the fringe of said waterhole.
So, by all means pass around the info, publish that you know where
these birds are, and respond *personally* to requests for said
information, but please, consider the implications of what you are
publishing on the internet for all to see.
I particularly liked the way Bill Jolly handled his discovery of the
breeding Painted Snipe in the Lockyer Valley last year. I would have
loved to see them, but so would every birder in Brisbane. Who knows
what would have happened if he'd published where the birds were
breeding?
Sorry for ranting.
Regards,
Chris - Brisbane
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