drugge_dean/23 at belnet.bellevue.k12.wa.us wrote:

> Subject: birding ethics
> From: drugge_dean/23 at belnet
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
>
> I would like
> to remind us all of the American Birding Association's 'Principles of
> Birding Ethics' I(b). "To avoid stressing birds or exposing them to
> danger, exercise restraint and caution during observation, photography,
> sound recording, or filming."


The degree to which we stress organisms simply by walking the earth can't be
ignored either. How many times have you been watching a bird from a long
distance and have some non-birder flush the bird just by walking around? A
couple of weeks ago, I visited the fabulous owl roost that is Hell's Gate
State Park in Lewiston, Idaho. Several of the Barn Owls flushed before we
were even aware of their presence. However, once we got better at figuring
out where they were likely to be, we started to find them without flushing
them and that was much more enjoyable.

However, I felt bad for one particular owl that day. We had spotted it from
a long distance away and had carefully and quietly approached closer. It
was clearly not disturbed by this; it never opened its eyes the whole time.
Then, just as we were backing away, a pair of bicyclist came by, screaming
loudly. The owl woke up, saw us not very far from its tree and took off
like a bat out of you know where. If the bicyclists had been quiet, the owl
never would have seen us and would have continued to sleep the afternoon
away. The bikers never knew about the owl. Unfortunately, the disturbance
to owls continued because the first owl woke up a second and third that we
were unaware of even though it was only a few feet from our heads!!

But all of us have to be careful and minimize impact as much as possible.
When we flushed the owls, we watched where they flew and avoided flushing
them again. We can't help having an impact on the wildlife around us; we
just have to be aware of it and try to minimize it as much as possible. In
most cases, I think the impact by birders is less than the impact by the
general public. The exception when birders are "pursuing" rarities; a few
forget their manners and the volume of traffic is dramatically increased.

Jerry Converse wrote:

Except in the name of science, Ya know--like--mist nets, trapping, banding,
tagging, nasel disks----

Whoa Jerry. Before you start picking on us poor old scientists, remember,
the ethics code originally cited was written by birders for birders and
cover several million people out every day looking for birds and disturbing
millions of bird on a daily basis. The examples Jerry cites are a few
hundred individuals working on several million birds and for only a very
short time span. Yes, the "stress" is greater but it is short-lived.

By the way, the scientists also have a code. The American Ornithological
Union published a guide on the handling and care of birds by researchers.
The Animal Behavior Society also has a similar code. They are designed to
minimize the disturbance to organisms. Most universities also have
animal-use committees that must approve your protocols for handling and
caring for animals before you can actually carry out an experiment, even if
the experiment is not conducted on campus. For example, if I planned on
weighing, measuring and banding nestling warblers in the woods around
Chewelah as part of my PhD. thesis at Washington State University, I would
have to go through the Animal Use committee even though my handling of the
warblers would be minimal and I wouldn't be caring for them at all. (This
is just an example; my actual research involves counting birds without
touching them so I don't have to go through the Animal Use Committee. I
just have to wear camo and be very quiet.)

I think most of us birders and most of my fellow scientists try to minimize
our impact on animals as much as possible while still enjoying our favorite
past time and fields of study. But is always good to remind us once in a
while.

Deb Beutler
Dept. of Zoology
Washington State University
Pullman, Whitman Co., WA

dbeutler at wsunix.wsu.edu
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Rosso <jrosso at mediaseek.com>
To: drugge_dean/23 at belnet.bellevue.k12.wa.us
<drugge_dean/23 at belnet.bellevue.k12.wa.us>; tweeters at u.washington.edu
<tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Date: Tuesday, January 26, 1999 8:32 AM
Subject: Re: birding ethics


>At 07:38 AM 1/26/99 -0800, drugge_dean/23 at belnet.bellevue.k12.wa.us wrote:
>>BTW, I did
>>yell out 'view the birds, don't flush 'em'. I was shown respect for
>>birds, and the need to 'stay back' after a trip to Boundary Bay (Snowy
>>Owls) a few years ago with Bob Sundstrom. Why do we bird anyway?
>>
>> -dean
>
>This is always a tough subject for the photographers in the group. As a
>photographer the quality of the picture always improves as I get closer.
>But at the same point I get better pictures if the bird stays relaxed and
>can continue to do what its doing . I try to watch carefully so I can tell
>when the bird is feeling pressured and then back off. But its not a perfect
>science.
>
>I have also found that different things cause birds to flush. Sometimes its
>movement. Sometimes its the flash. Sometimes its somebody yelling. You
>just never can tell.
>
>
>Jim Rosso
>Jim Rosso
>Issaquah, Washington
>425-392-8440
>jrosso at mediaseek.com
>