Bird call CD cost

[Syd Curtis <>]

Ricki,

        You have written, "I've also had it anecdotally that the scrub-birds
in one area of south-east Queensland don't call any more due to the huge
amount of playback which has been employed ..."

I can offer some evidence to support that.  A decade or so ago, I was asked
by the organisers of a "bird week", to lead a party to a particular spot and
play Rufous Scrub-bird calls with the recorder they provided.  I have
particular reasons for objecting to the practice, but reasoned that if I
didn't agree to do so, it would only mean that someone else would, and at
least if I were doing it I could be somewhat circumspect about it.

Arrived at the spot, I play a burst of song.   It was answered from way down
the slope.  Played some more; response from much nearer.  More play-back;
nearer still, but still some distance away.  Play-back; silence;  Playback
and then a couple of calls from way down the slope again.

I imagined the bird thinking to himself, "Thought as much; just those
annoying humans again."

Cheers

Syd

PS  And if you are thinking Syd's imagination is running away with him,
attributing thoughts to a bird, then you didn't hear Jane Goodall's talk to
the University of NSW, which formed Robyn William's ABC Radio Science Show
today - to be repeated Monday night (Jan. 15).


> From: Ricki Coughlan <>
> Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2007 11:41:29 +1100
> To: "Tony Russell" <>
> Cc: 'Birding-Aus' <>
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Bird call CD cost
> 
> I've also had it anecdotally that the scrub-birds in one area of
> south-east Queensland don't call anymore due to the huge amount of
> playback which has been employed by birders who wanted to see the
> birds at all costs. I don't know if this is true or not and I'm not
> sure that a bird would abandon something as fundamental to its nature
> as calling, but if there is any truth to this, then it may be a huge
> conservation issue.
> 
> Happy birding
> Ricki Coughlan
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