[tn-bird] Re: Hummers and Pishing
- From: "Mayhorn" <mayhorn@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2002 14:24:14 -0400
Fellow Birders,
After thinking about the matter of pishing for some time I have reached the
conclusion that it does birds little harm if any. In the natural world
birds, being the high strung individuals that they are, are constantly
taking to flight when one individual gives the alarm after having seen what
it thought was a Kestrel or Sharp-shinned Hawk, when in reality it was only
a Mourning Dove passing by. If you notice as soon as the unrealized danger
is past the flock settles back immediately to feed. This is part of their
daily routine. They have practiced this behavior for thousands of years, and
hopefully they will go on practicing it for several thousand more.
I disagree that they leave the area because of pishing. I have seen too many
White-throated and Song Sparrows back in the same area not 10 or 15 minutes
after having responded to pishing. They do sometimes go deeper into the
brush and one might think they are gone.
I agree that the over use of pishing could be harmful if the same birds are
constantly harassed, especially during nesting season. Like any other
birding activity it should be used with prudence, but in itself it is not a
bad tool for finding birds.
Good Birding,
Roger Mayhorn
Grundy, VA
That one really got me. Why on earth would you want to or have to pish
shorebirds? I can possibly understand the irresistible urge to pish a bird
hidden in the bush so you can see it, but shorebirds are in the open and
there's no need to disturb them. One would hope to observe them quietly and
unobtrusively, as all of our bird viewing ideally should be. As birders,
there are few ways of observing birds without disturbance, but we should try
to minimize the disturbance as much as possible.
There has been talk of pishing and playing screech owl tapes to draw birds
into the open. It worries me that newer birders may be drawn to these means
because they see that the good birders are doing it and seeing a lot more
birds than they are. I urge you to keep these disturbances to a minimum, and
they are disturbances. Often times birds will continue to feed during an owl
tape, but there are several species who stop everything to give complete
attention to the tape and when that occurs the tape should be stopped
immediately. Thrushes and Phoebes come to mind and there are others.
Pishing, however, while it doesn't draw birds from as far away as tapes, is
usually more disruptive to the nearby birds. The birds stop everything and
give it their complete attention and leave the area as soon as it stops. You
have just driven them away from a place they preferred to be, but no longer
feel safe. And never, never play tapes and pish while birds are nesting.
They need to devote all their time to caring for their young and shouldn't
have to show themselves for your benefit.
We all could stand a little self examination in our birding ethics, and I am
no exception. I have pished and I have played tapes, but I am learning to
curb my zeal. We also could be more critical in examining other practices
relating to birds. Banding birds is another area that could use some
attention. I believe the recovery rate of banded birds is about 2%. In other
words you'd have to band 50 birds to recover one. That's disturbing a lot of
birds for so little result. I'd guess the recovery rate for hummers to be
higher and the facts learned are certainly interesting. There are six
hummers for every one you see. That's fascinating, but do we need to know
it? It sates our curiosity but how does it benefit the hummers? Keeping them
long enough to measure their body fat to see if they are able to continue
migration? They know when they are ready and we don't need to. Just keep
your feeders up until the solution freezes.
I think it would be wonderful to hold a bird in my hand and see it close up
and have several times considered attending a banding session. But I know in
my heart it isn't right and as much as I would like to, the love of birds
and what's best for them is more important. If banding is done at all the
birds should be released as quickly as possible and taking time to let
others hold them or photograph them is unnecessarily delaying the release. I
am not accusing Bob Sargent of any of these practices, and from what I have
read I'd bet he doesn't let anyone else handle the birds he captures.
>From what I have seen most banders are conscientious and caring people, and
often some of the nicest people you would ever want to meet. As birders we
disturb birds more than nonbirders, but no one disturbs birds more than
banders.
Sheb Marsh
Paducah, KY
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=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
-----------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
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with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958
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