[texbirds] Re: use of iphone in field
- From: Robert White <glqman@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Texbirds <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2014 12:09:42 -0800 (PST)
Before asking permission to use playback at a national wildlife refuge during a
recent CBC, I checked the FAQs for compilers on Audubon's website. Here's what
they have to say:
"Recently there has been a recurring question about the use of tapes, iPods,
"pishing", and other attractant noises on Christmas Bird Counts. Such methods
and devices are strictly forbidden on the Breeding Bird Survey, Breeding Bird
Atlas, and other surveys of birds in the breeding season. However, because the
CBC is monitoring birds in the non-breeding season (and most species are not
singing, at least in North America) the use of tapes and attractant noises has
always been allowed on the CBC. With the advent and proliferation of iPods and
other hand-held devices that can readily play bird vocalizations and elicit
responses from otherwise hidden birds, this use is reported to be on the rise.
The prohibition of the use of attractant noises on CBCs would be a relatively
major programmatic decision that could quickly change the data collected by
observers on many counts, and thus we need to continue their use at least for
now. However, the use of such devices should be very judicious, and never done
in a fashion that could affect the behavior of target species in any
significant way. If you use iPods or tapes on your CBC, please keep this in
mind!"
I was granted permission to use calls that day, but really only used it to try
to locate an out-of-range count week phoebe. I was unsuccessful, I might add.
I also used a screech-owl tape (yes, a real cassette) before dawn along the
road outside the refuge to try for a screech-owl. No luck there, either.
-Bob White
Spring, TX
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