With all the posts about ethics for banding the
Discovery Park Snowy Owl, I've not heard a suggestion
to ask the local folks to participate in the banding.
Agreed, The mere presence of the bird offers many
educational opportunities to the general public.
But actually watching a capture and banding, and being
able to approach a bird while it is 'in-hand' for a
closer look, or maybe even being able to help during.
These are also educational to the public, and to
birders as well.
Not many folks get that opportunity.
Granted, the logistics of managing that in a way to
allow a group to participate, but to minimize the
stress to the bird CAN be pretty tough, if not
impossible.
But it could be a opportunity to show these folks how
carefully it can be done to minimize the stress on the
bird, and to help educate everyone to the benefits of
the banding program. Get them asking the questions to
those folks that are aware of how to band the bird,
and what information we can possibly get from the
banding that will help the entire population of the
birds in the future.
As always, this would be a tough balancing act between
education, and not interfering with the bird too much.

I also realize that posting this is about the
equivalent of throwing bloody chum into a pool of
hungry sharks ;)
Should generate some interesting responses, anyway.
Guy

Guy McWethy
Renton, WA
mailto: lguy_mcw at yahoo.com



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