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As bird lovers, it’s easy to want to see more birds, whether it's to get a closer look at them or to find a rare bird. But, it’s important to be mindful of our impact on birds when we go birdwatching. Getting too close can stress out the birds, costing them energy that could otherwise be used for behaviors that actually help them survive, and lingering too long near nesting sites can be especially harmful. Although different birders have different ideas of what ethical birding looks like, there are a few broadly agreed-upon good practices to have while birding. The American Birding Association’s Code of Ethics is a good place to start learning about these widely accepted practices. In general, these practices help protect the birds, their habitats, and people. Below are just two examples of topics within the wider discussion of the ethics of birding. Playback: some birders and photographers use a controversial method of drawing out birds in hiding that is called using “playback.” This typically means playing a recording of the target species’s song in an area that the species is believed to be in. In many species, songs are used for territorial communication, so by using playback, birds are tricked into believing that their territory is being threatened by another individual, which lures them out to defend their territory. This is often stressful for birds, is harmful when birds are establishing territories and nesting, and, when done repetitively, can desensitize birds to actual signals from other birds. In recent years, there has been a large shift away from using playback because of the harm it causes. Pishing: other birders use a less harmful version of drawing out birds in hiding using their own voices. Birders will “pish,” or create a sound that mimics alarm calls of certain species that curious birds will investigate. I highly recommend you all check out the ABA’s Code of Ethics so we can all be responsible birders!
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