[mou] [mnbird] code of ethics

[Warren Woessner]

One issue with the White-eyed Vireo (or any other bird) is the definiton
of "rare", or "rare in your local area"  In the guidelines. White-eyed
vireo is listed a "Casual" by the MOU, which sounds a lot like "Rare",
but Bell's vireo and Yellow-breasted Chat are listed as "regular". Does
this indicate that it is acceptable to judiciously use tape to attract
the latter two,or a Conn. Warbler,  but not the former? 
The ABA Guidelines suggest that, "other methods of attracting birds",
even "Phishing" are forbidden if the bird is "rare". Are the hummingbird
feeders that the Paytons put up in Patagonia AZ or the ones the Nature
Conservancy puts up in Ramsey Canyon in violation of the guidelines
because they regularly attract rarities (eg, White-eared or
Violet-Crowned Hummingbird)?  Some years ago, the Nature Conservancy
greatly reduced the number of feeders they had up (so as to not overly
concentrate the birds?). Then a Beryline Hummingbird showed up anyway,
attracting hundreds of birders.
I have been birding for about 40 years and this debate has been
sporadically raging for at least 30 of them. Commercial tour leaders use
tape continously to time-effectively "tic" local species, even extremely
common ones (which practice is not forbidden by the guidelines). I have
seen one group converge on another when they are both using tape,
particularly at night.  Some leaders would use mikes to tape a calling
bird and play the tape back to the same bird (!) I don't know how much
hearing its own voice would stress a bird, but you can imagine that it
would be curious about the source, and it usually would come in. I have
heard that in jungle birding this is about the only way to see many
calling birds,(including ones new to science), but have only seen the
technique used by researchers in Costa Rica.
The only places I have seen bans on using tape work are heavily birded
areas where some enforcement is possible, like the ban on tape in Cave
Creek Canyon, Arizona (to protect Trogons). Jim points to one issue that
is seldom discussed, and that is that most birds get "taped out" in
heavily birded areas, and simply don't respond (or don't come in, even
if they are calling). So a sort of natural order is restored, and the
only good a tape does is to help refresh the birder's memory of the
call, which may be as it should be. 
Just notes from experience
Warren Woessner  

-----Original Message-----
From: mnbird-bounces at lists.mnbird.net
[mailto:mnbird-bounces at lists.mnbird.net] On Behalf Of Jim Williams
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 11:17 AM
To: pastoral at princetonfreechurch.net; mou-net at moumn.org;
mnbird at lists.mnbird.net; Wisconsin Birding Network
Subject: [mnbird] code of ethics

Perhaps the ABA code of ethics periodically could be published here. I
doubt if any one of us knows it by heart. It is helpful. It does offer
guidelines. I find that my rather constant use of a camera while birding
in recent years has made the code's suggested considerations and
restrictions more relevant. Cameras tempt one. 
The code helps maintain perspective.

The code can be found at http://www.americanbirding.org/abaethics.htm

Jim Williams
Wayzata

_______________________________________________
mnbird mailing list
mnbird at lists.mnbird.net
http://lists.mnbird.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mnbird