[obol] Use of Playback
- From: BILL ROSIE <watice@xxxxxxx>
- To: OBOL <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2015 18:16:10 +0000
I am hoping what follows
will result in some healthy discussion. I am asking some questions
regarding the use of playback as I'd like to know why birders have
certain parameters for use of such, and not as a challenge to those
who oppose such.
Craig Miller brings up the
request to not use playback for boreal owls, as least those near the
South Sister. I have occasionally wondered why some birders are for
or against such, so am wondering if some could offer the pros and
cons here. When I was last in Ecuador I found that many birders and
birding guides are quite free in using pygmy owl playback to get
responses from what is in the area, (as well as hoping for another pygmy owl)
since many bird species seem to
detest the presence of pygmy owls and will often present their case
about it. I get the idea that those who use playback more or less
keep that knowledge to themselves rather than risk getting the frown
from those who do, so it may be more common than believed?
Some seem to be persuaded
that playback should never be used, while others use it sparingly,
while others use it freely. So does the situation dictate how it
should be used? If a bird is quite common and represented by
millions of its species, what effect will a little playback have on
the situation? Or, if a species is quite rare and playback may risk
its quality of life, limiting playback may be the appropriate thing
to do. I understand that at the present time in the NW those
working with spotted owls may first play barred owl playback to make
sure that species is not in the area before using spotted owl
playback for what research they are doing. Seems logical.
To the bird in question –
Boreal Owls in Oregon. We probably don't know or have much of an
idea of the population in the state, due to their habitat being out
of reach when they are calling, so how do we know if we area harming
them or not? Or is harassing them the issue? Since they are territoral, no
doubt one will enter
another's domain and give his call once in a while. So what is the
difference between using the occasion call back verses the natural
thing which no doubt happens at least some of the time?
On a related vein, I often
do not report owl sightings, especially something more rare, because
past experience has shown me that there is the downside that when it
gets publicized even non birders may go to the location to check it
out, and the excess of people in the owl's residence has caused them
to head for more peaceful locales. Maybe this thread will motivate some to
expand our understanding the range of Boreal Owls in Oregon, which hopefully
will be a good thing.
Bill Tice: Birding - The best excuse for getting outdoors, and avoiding chores.
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