[mou] Birding Ethics

[Jim Williams]

This is a forward from the Wisconsin Birding Network, where ethics of 
birders and bird photographers (re. owls) also is under discussion. 
Bettie Harriman below makes reference to comments from the web site of 
the North American Nature Photographers Association.

I would like to add one comment: Some of us do seem to have great 
concern about the length or size of the lenses used by some 
photographers. Long lenses seem to be regarded by some people as 
symbols of bad behavior, like a scarlet letter sewn to our jackets. I 
work with a 500mm lens. (Given the camera mechanics, I am shooting, in 
effect, at 750mm.) With the sun shield on the end of the lens, it 
indeed looks long. There are many reasons why I own and use this piece 
of equipment. One reason is, it lets me get high-quality images from a 
greater distance. I do not need to be on top of the bird to get the 
photos I seek. I suspect this is the case for many of us who work with 
telephoto equipment.

Jim Williams
Wayzata

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Bettie R. Harriman" <bettie@vbe.com>
Date: March 10, 2005 8:34:06 AM CST
To: "Wisconsin Birding Network" <wisbirdn@lawrence.edu>
Subject: [wisb] Birding Ethics

Tom Sykes wrote:  Unfortunately WSO and ABA don't have clear guidelines 
about bird
photographers.

I can tell you that both have been asked to look into it and prehaps 
add to the Code or take other actions of some nature.  I know the ABA 
CEO has contacted the North American Nature Photographers Association. 
They have a pretty strong ethics statement on their website. 
<http://www.nanpa.org/committees/ethics/>

Current wording on the WSO Code of Ethics says, in part:

When birding, we should act in ways that do not endanger the welfare of 
birds and other wildlife.  We should:
Observe and photograph the birds without disturbing them in significant 
ways.
Avoid chasing or repeatedly flushing birds.
....
Stay on existing roads, trails, and pathways whenever possible ...

I know this leaves the question of what are "in significant ways" up to 
each birder, but if you have to question yourself about your intended 
behavior, then that's a good clue that it's NOT what you should do.

Bettie Harriman
Oshkosh


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