Use of tapes

Some Great Points Bill!

I guess it really depends on the call that is recorded, and the bird hearing the call.

Putting it in human terms...imagine we recorded a big bearded bikie saying "RACK OFF...this is my car park!" *censored*

You'd almost guarantee not many people would approach the call and hence find another car park...

But if you heard a squeaky little "RACK OFF...this is my car park!"  and you were a more assertive person/bird...you may think "well...he says its his carpark...but i'm going to get it first and if he wants to fight about it so be it."

It goes the same with with mating calls....different personalities have different fetishes....but I  better stop before i get too kinky and start offending people   : )

(if i haven't already : s)

Peter

"Bill Jolly" <> Sent by: 21/11/2002 01:27 PM Please respond to birdstay

To:        "Birding Aus" <>         cc:                 Subject:        [BIRDING-AUS] Use of tapes

Following on from David Geering and Vicki Powys comments, I'd like to
encourage some discussion on this topic.

It isn't something I know much about. I've got all the BOC tapes, and I find
them a useful aid for cross-checking calls I've heard, or for preparing for
a trip into unfamiliar territory. But I've got mixed feelings about the idea
of using tapes or mp3s in attempt to get a better view of a bird, or a call
in response.

I don't want to be critical of anyone who has done this, I'd just like to
learn a little more about what we think really happens when a bird hears a
taped call.

The following options occur to me - in no particular order:

Does a male bird think along the lines of "Here's a challenger, I'll go and
see him off"?

or "Damn, I thought there was a space here, now I'm being warned off"?

or does a female think "That sounds good, I'll check it out"?

or "Well, I was getting on all right with this local fellow, but I like the
sound of the new one"?

Could a taped call in the breeding season cause a male who has established a
territory and progressed a fair way down the courtship path to backtrack and
focus his attention on finding the newcomer?

In other words, is the taped call equally likely to cause mild interest, or
to create a hiccup in an on track courtship?

And if we're just talking about playing a call to get a distant Black-eared
Cuckoo to come closer, do we really know if the bird is more likely to come
in, or to go off somewhere else?

I'm sure there are many other interpretations than these few.

All of the above questions relate to the supposed occasional spontaneous use
of a tape. One hears of locations where tapes are often used to attract
forest species to show themselves. Is this a good or a bad thing?

It occurs to me that if we can't be definitive, it might be better not to do
it at all.

All opinions would be very welcome.

Bill Jolly

"Abberton",
Lockyer Valley, Queensland.

Visit our website at http://www.abberton.org

Email:
Ph: (+61) 7 4697 6111  Fax: (+61) 7 4697 6056










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