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Re: use of birdsong playback

Subject: Re: use of birdsong playback
From: "Peter Shute" pshute2
Date: Sun Jan 5, 2014 1:40 am ((PST))
I could live with that, but do you think enforcement would be possible?=0D
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Peter Shute=0D
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Sent from my iPad=0D
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On 5 Jan 2014, at 8:07 pm, "Eric Fassbender" <<mailto=
:>> wrote:=0D
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I think it should be banned in National Parks, at least.=0D
=0D
Cheers,=0D
=0D
Eric=0D
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On 05/01/2014, at 10:17 AM, Peter Shute <<=
w.org.au>> wrote:=0D
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I think this is a growing problem, and that there's no simple answer to it.=
=0D
=0D
In the last few years, more and more people I know have demonstrated their =
ability to have a species call playing in seconds, usually to listen to, bu=
t occasionally to call in birds. Prior to that, I only met the occasional p=
erson prepared to lug around a set of tapes or CDs, and they had such diffi=
culty locating the right track that they usually didn't bother. Now, not on=
ly are tracks quick to find on the phone that so many people carry, they're=
 a fraction of the price of the old CDs sets.=0D
=0D
I suspect that while it's likely that overuse can cause problems, it's ok i=
n moderation, and that this is obvious enough to users of it that the sugge=
stions of bans will be met with derision.=0D
=0D
The problem as I see it is that no single person can determine what exposur=
e a bird has had to playback. It's not enough for me to know that I only vi=
sit a site once a year and only ever use playback for one minute. I need to=
 know how many others are doing it, and I can't know that, I can only guess=
. I fear that some people will interpret the fact that they have never seen=
 anyone else at a particular site as an indication that it's rarely visited=
.=0D
=0D
If we accept that complete bans will be ignored and unenforceable, is the o=
nly option to teach people how to use it intelligently and responsibly, and=
 perhaps have local bans in some places? But will teaching people how to do=
 it encourage so many more people to do it that it just makes the problem w=
orse? And if usage is spreading from birders to hunters, is the concept of =
responsible use valid any more?=0D
=0D
Peter Shute=0D
=0D
Sent from my iPad=0D
=0D
On 4 Jan 2014, at 3:04 am, "<><mailt=
o:>" <<><oryo=
>> wrote:=0D
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The Wall St Journal has an article describing the increasing use of birdson=
g playback to lure birds into view.=0D
=0D
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB1000142405270230424490457927655135066=
7062=0D
=0D
Smartphone apps that include recordings of birdsong are common and inexpens=
ive. Guides to birdsong used to be expensive, and published in CD format. F=
ew birders went to the effort to copy the recorded material to a more porta=
ble form. Today, birding field guides are offered for smartphones and table=
ts. This makes birdsong playback in the field a simple matter.=0D
=0D
Some authorities say frequent playback of birdsong can be detrimental to th=
e targeted bird species, particularly to rare species that occur in a limit=
ed area. Others say it's no problem. One professional birding guide I know =
says it's actually beneficial, since the male bird appears to vanquish the =
mechanical intruder. But he works in remote areas in South America, where b=
irds are rarely exposed to playback.=0D
=0D
Your thoughts?=0D
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=0D
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=0D








"While a picture is worth a thousand words, a
sound is worth a thousand pictures." R. Murray Schafer via Bernie Krause.



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