As a photographer, i'd prefer to see (and photograph) birds going about
thier natural activities. I doubt if you'd ever be able to induce a bird
to feed on a insect, or preen its mate, or gather nest material via
playback. In my experience of trying to influence birds through phishing,
all you do is exhibit either curious or threatened responses, and both
will result in only a brief view and then they usually go into hiding or
fly off. If thats all you want to do (e.g see it, tick it and never see
it again) then playback might be fine, but as a photographer (and someone
that would try to create as minimal impact as possible), i think an
ethical approach is much more satisfying in every way. It reduces
disturbance to the bird, it allows you to learn more about the species and
it behaviours, and gives you much longer views (and photographic
possibilities). Once you've been able to see a species for the first time,
it then gives you insight into how the species behaves and makes it much
easier to see the species on future searches. On a side note, i find that
adult birds are much more difficult to photograph, and are much more
'streetwise). Juvenile birds tend to be more curious, and, at a guess,
would be much more likely to repsond to playback than adults.
For the record, i reckon i'd be close to 500 species seen (not that i've
kept count recently) and i've only ever been with people that have used
playback, and not actually used them myself. On both occassions, i reckon
i would have got the same (or better views) without them. My first
experience was the Grass Owl at the WTP, which was leaving its roost
regularly after dusk, and despite playback it was seen on leaving its
roost only, and didn't respond to playback afterwards. Wiith a Lewin's
Rail, i saw it without a tape firstly (with nice long views) and then only
with fleeting glimpse after a tape was played.
"Alistair McKeough" <>
Sent by:
16/09/2008 01:26 PM
To
"Peter Shute" <>
cc
Subject
Re: [Birding-Aus] Effects of call playback on birds
I'd be interested to know how reliant people are on it. I know I've seen
birds I wouldn't have without using tapes (eg Lewin's Rail).
Anyone with 500 species that's never used tapes? How about 600? 700?
2008/9/16 Peter Shute <>
> If birds stop responding to playback then that's true. But if they stop
> responding to real calls from their own species then it should affect
> their ability to maintain territory, breed, etc, shouldn't it. No idea
> if that happens.
>
> I think the main thing is to make sure that birds aren't exposed to it
> to much, as they can obviously survive the occasional playback. The
> problem is knowing how much they've already been exposed to.
>
> Peter Shute
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:
> > On Behalf Of Tony Russell
> > Sent: Tuesday, 16 September 2008 12:26 PM
> > To: 'Richard Hoyer';
> > Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Effects of call playback on birds
>
> > 3) The other observation that some bird species seem to
> > habituate to the playback (and thus fail to respond to it) is
> > no different to them habituating to any other sound or
> > visible intrusion that comes their way, ie, vehicular sound
> > and motion. Surely this habituation must save energy rather
> > than expend it. It's often only when a vehicle stops rather
> > than passing by as usual that birds take fright and fly for
> > cover. Again, annoying for the hopeful observer, but hardly
> > any more stressful for the birds than if some normal predator
> > approaches.
> >
> > Tony.
>
> www.birding-aus.org
> birding-aus.blogspot.com
>
> To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
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