Bird Calls - For or Against

twhite87

twhite87

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Tim
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Okay, so here's the story. On a photo session shooting Red Grouse, I was using a phone app that sent out a grouse call (one call every 10 minutes ish). At this point, A woman who was walking a dog (and throwing a tennis ball into the heather I might add), came over and starting shouting at me for attempting to 'frighten the wildlife into performing' (her words, not mine). Whilst I took no notice of her and politely told her to take a look at herself and her dog before critising someone who has a passion for protecting wildlife, it got me thinkin about how many people are for or against using calls, and if you do, and how do you do it?
 
I do occasionally. IMO, another bird's mating call or alert call is not "unnatural" and their reactions to it isn't either. And I don't consider it particularly "stressful" or "harmful" for the birds if done with reasonable care/consideration.

I find it funny that many who throw fits about calls/baiting think nothing about drawing large numbers of mixed species together, out into the open, to compete for artificial food supplies....
I have bird feeders as well, but I don't pretend that that's somehow "better."
 
There's nothing wrong with using bird calls per se, it just needs to be done sensibly and in moderation. The problem is when one person does it excessively, or where a bunch of people think they're doing it in moderation but in aggregate it adds up to a detrimental nuance. Or if it's a species that is prone to nest desertion.

I would say that a society that is cautious about using bird calls is better than one that doesn't care. Certainly, I think at certain hotspots it's needs to be accept that "in moderation" isn't possible and there needs to avoided (be it formal ban or just an understanding to refrain). Dartford Warblers would never get a moments peace at Arne if everybody felt free to use playback to get a better view (or any view at all)
 
I agree.
 
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