Hello,

I just got back on the tweeters listserv after living on the East coast for 13 months. I have used pishing quite a bit over the past few years, and I have to agree that the success level is never certain. Usually though, the first time I do it on a given day is most successful. My theory on this is that if you hike a little ways down a trail, some of the birds are going to be the same ones who responded before, and seeing a human instead of an upset bird making the noise, don't come this time. Birds can have pretty large territories.

The best successes I have had were very fun. When learning birdbanding from Don Norman and Dan Froehlich a couple of years ago, there were a whole bunch of bushtits coming down this line of trees towards one of our nets. We needed some birds to learn banding on and it was a very slow morning, otherwise we never would have done such a thing. But we spread out, me going around the backside of the nets in the woods. We all pished to some extent, and the birds started coming in. Then Don had me do some squeaking (kissing a nuckle loudly works best), and it was amazing. The birds really started moving and we caught a couple. As we continued, we got 9 of the flock to practice on, and we also almost got a Sharpie that came over to investigate the commotion! So pishing and squeaking work well.

Then, last spring I was in Philadelphia, I was working one of my blocks on the Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas, and I could hear a few birds that I couldn't recognize by song and call. So I got under a slight bit of cover and started pishing. Not only did I get a couple of robins and catbirds (which ALWAYS come to pishing), I also got a couple cardinals, Carolina Wrens, Chestnut-sided Warbler (a lifer), Blackpoll Warblers (lifers), Northern Parula (lifer) and Black and White Warbler. From one pishing session.

When done right, pishing can be very enjoyable. I typically pick a spot next to an overhanging shrub or somesuch with some cover, so the birds can't spot you as easily. I look up and start pshhh, pshhh, PSHHHing away, and have had kinglets, titmice, bushtits, chickadees and nuthatches all come with 3 feet of me at one time or another. Downy Woodpeckers and some sparrows will also get quite close, as will wrens and the occassional goldfinch. So try it the next time you are out in the field. It can be a lot of fun talking to the birds, and they just might talk back! Good birding!

Brett A. Wolfe
Seattle, WA
gismybabe at yahoo.com



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