Subject: Tape playback (fwd)
Date: Jun 23 11:49:49 1999
From: Dennis Paulson - dpaulson at ups.edu


This message came on an ornithological list, but I thought it was worth
forwarding. It's from a researcher who has been studying Swainson's near
Washington, DC.

> Repeated and chronic tape playback demonstrably alters the behavior
>of Swainson's Warbler. I've studied patterns of annual turnover in the
>Great Dismal Swamp for the past 11 breeding seasons. For better or
>worse, these birds are exposed to literally hundreds of "broadcasts"
>during the first four weeks of the breeding season. Although it is
>illegal to "harass" birds with tape recorders on National Wildlife
>refuges, desperate out-of-towners don't hesitate to whip out a playback
>device when no one is looking in hopes of seeing a Swainson's Warbler at
>the Jericho Ditch or Washington Ditch entrances. Males that settle near
>the parking lots at Jericho Ditch usually last one breeding season
>(meaning that they either die or move somewhere else in subsequent
>years). The birds are so habituated to playback songs in this area that
>they seldom approach the roadsides. It ruins it for those that don't
>cheat. I've been keeping track of the origin of the "cheaters" for some
>years (by gentle questioning and license plates). Top of the list:
>California, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland. I've even
>encountered paid tour guides (who should know better) doing it.I've also
>been running into more and more birders from the UK using tape recorders
>(although this is a big no-no in England).
>
> Two other comments. In most cases, a few seconds of playback at an
>isolated Swainson's won't have any lasting effect, especially in states
>with relatively smaller numbers of birders and a large number of
>Swainson's (e.g., Louisiana).
>
> Second point. I would bet that 95% of all birders have only seen
>Swainson's Warbler with the aid of tape playback. It can be quite a
>satisfying accomplishment to do it the old-fashioned way.
>
>Finally, we'll never know the real cause of the Delmarva decline, but
>birder pressure is definitely the leading suspect.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 253-756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 253-756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416
http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/museum.html