DP Tool Club 15/CD_ASCQ_15_070894.iso/vrac/bird_faq.zip/RECBIRDS.FAQ

Text File | 1994-06-18 | 43KB | 1,025 lines

Archive-name: birds-faq/wild-birds
Last-modified: February 6, 1994

This is the Frequently Asked Questions list for the Usenet newsgroup
rec.birds.  It is posted every other month.  Its editor is Brian Rice
<[e-mail]>; send suggestions for new questions and
other comments to him.

If you are a newcomer to Usenet, please read the official articles
about etiquette in the newsgroup news.announce.newusers before you post.

Contents:

0.  All-purpose rec.birds etiquette
1.  I have a question about pet birds.
2.  Are domestic cats Satan?  --A Non-judgmental Attempt at Consensus.
3a. Can I "count" this bird?
3b. What are "listers"?
4.  I found an injured bird; what can I do?
5.  I found an abandoned nestling; what can I do?
6.  A wild bird is annoying me; what can I do?
7.  What is the Migratory Bird Treaty?
8.  I saw a rare bird!  What do I do?
9.  Why does everybody seem to hate Starlings and House Sparrows so much?
10. Why does everybody seem to hate Cowbirds so much?
11. I saw a bird which I can't identify.  Can someone help me?
12. How do I keep squirrels out of my feeders?
13. How can I make homemade hummingbird nectar?
14. Which field guide should I buy as a first purchase?
15. I'm going on a trip. How can I find out where are good places to go
    birding?
16. What kind of binoculars should I buy?
17. What kind of scope should I buy?
18. How can I get on-line bird checklists?
19. What are good wild-bird magazines?
20. What are good wild-bird-related organizations?
21. What is BIRDCHAT?  EuroBirdNet?
22. Are there good computer programs for maintaining bird lists?
23. Where can I get digitized pictures of birds?
24. Where can I find recordings of birdsongs?
25. I found a dead bird with a band.  What do I do?
    I saw a banded or marked bird.  What do I do?
26. If we throw rice at our wedding, will birds eat it and explode?
27. Does providing food at feeders during summer keep birds from migrating?
28. ETHICS FOR BIRDERS
29. Acknowledgements

---------

0.  All-purpose rec.birds etiquette

This newsgroup is for the discussion of wild birds.  Here is a partial
list of possible topics:

        Identifying birds in the field by appearance, behavior, and song
        Birding trips
        Attracting wild birds to feeders
        Behavior of birds in the wild
        Conservation of wild birds
        Research into bird life
        Bird taxonomy

Discussion of birds as pets is not appropriate in rec.birds.  The Usenet
newsgroup rec.pets.birds is specifically for caged birds.

If someone posts an article to this or any newsgroup that's not appropriate,
the proper response (if you feel you must respond) is to send that person
e-mail.  Why?  Because Usenet is a device for saying something to lots of
people.  In this instance, you need to say something to only one person,
the offending article's original poster.  That is what e-mail is designed
for.

Please place your name and an indication of your geographical location, as
well as a working e-mail address, at the bottom of your postings as a
signature.

rec.birds is read all around the world.  You will generate a great deal
of goodwill if you take a moment to internationalize your postings.  Here
are a few examples of ways to do this:

        a.  When you write about a bird species, why not find its
            scientific name in your field guide and mention it?  It's
            easy.
        b.  When you refer to measurements, include the units.  For
            instance, say "-10 degrees C" or "-10 degrees F" instead
            of just "ten below."
        c.  When you cite a location, be specific.  Think: "Could someone
            on the other side of the world find this site on a map with
            the information I've given?"

Please make your postings concise.  When posting followup articles, do
not quote more than is necessary of the originals.

When you feel the urge to reply to a posting, consider whether e-mail to
the poster would serve your purpose, rather than posting your reply to the
newsgroup.

If you write an article in anger,  wait 24 hours before posting it.
After that time has passed, it will be easier for you to edit your
post down to what is constructive, or to decide that your post would
be better e-mailed or discarded.

In the past, discussions of falconry in rec.birds have generated
controversy.  Falconry is the keeping of raptors for use in hunting;
birds kept by falconers are in a semi-wild state.  After much debate,
a consensus emerged: if a post focuses mostly on hunting with raptors
or on their captive breeding, it is appropriate for rec.hunting.  If
a post offers information about raptors that is of general interest,
it is welcome in rec.birds.

The more unpleasant moments of the debate over falconry posts happened
for two reasons:

        a.  Many people disagree over whether hunting for sport is moral.
        b.  Some birders suspect falconers of taking eggs or birds from
            the wild illegally.

Regardless of your opinions on these subjects, please assume that your
fellow posters' respect for wildlife and the law is equal to your own.
Doing so will help keep rec.birds an enjoyable forum.

Another topic guaranteed to generate ill will on rec.birds is that of
domestic cats.  If you must post on this topic, please read the section
below entitled "Are domestic cats Satan?  --A Non-judgmental Attempt at
Consensus" before you do.  Then make sure that your post is constructive
before you send it.  Avoid making implications about persons who keep cats.

Finally, be advised that Usenet is not a very good medium for expressing
moral outrage.  If your goal is to get others to "see the error of their
ways," you'll obviously want to choose the strategy that's most likely
to work.  Angry Usenet posts put their targets on the defensive; the
targeted persons, having been publicly criticized, often feel compelled
to reply publicly with their own harsh words.  This phenomenon is what
we call a "flame war," and the demoralizing effect it has on a newsgroup
cannot be overstated.  It also does not lead to many changed minds; in
fact, opinions harden and polarize further.  If you must inform one of
your fellow Usenet readers that you think their behavior is morally
wrong, it's in everyone's interest for you to do so in a carefully and
humbly worded mail message.

-----

1.  I have a question about pet birds.

Please post your question to the Usenet newsgroup rec.pets.birds.

-----

2.  Are domestic cats Satan?  --A Non-judgmental Attempt at Consensus.

Many human activities lead to environmental damage in one degree or
another.  We clear, farm, flood, drain, divide, and build upon our
surroundings with alacrity.  We have also begun to realize that we
can take steps to minimize the damage we do.

Often, taking steps to preserve the environment is a lot like voting:
it's not clear that any one person's action will have more than a tiny
effect.  Nevertheless, like voting, there are many reasons why one should
go ahead and take those steps anyway:

        a.  Doing so demonstrates that one is a member of a community and
            shares responsibility.
        b.  Doing so sets an example and provides education to others.
        c.  One should always act in a way that, if you lived in a world
            where EVERYONE acted so, would make that world a good place.

One way human beings damage the environment is by breeding animals to
suit their own purposes.  An example of such an "artificial animal" is
the domestic cat, which provides affection and companionship for its
owner and sometimes reduces domestic pests; unfortunately, it also
hunts wild birds with little regard to its own food needs.  Some domestic
cats probably do little damage to wild birds.  Others have single-handedly
sent entire species into extinction.  Regardless, if you own a cat, you
can take steps to diminish its take.  You can keep it indoors, or you can
bell it (though the effectiveness of belling cats is often questioned).

Perhaps those steps will have little impact; perhaps your cat will only
kill one fewer bird during its lifetime than it would have otherwise.
Remember that there are billions of cats in the world, and, for example,
only a few hundred Kirtland's Warblers (Dendroica kirtlandii).

Invocations of "the survival of the fittest" are not relevant here.
Perhaps many birds are not competent to compete with housecats, or DDT,
or highway construction programs.  Nevertheless, we wish to preserve
those birds because they pre-date their human-assisted competitors,
because they represent irreplaceable parts of our world, and because
they are beautiful.

Finally, it's worth mentioning that indoor cats live longer.

-----

3a. Can I "count" this bird?
3b. What are "listers"?

Many people who are interested in birds find it useful to keep a
list of the species they have seen: a "life list."  Doing so helps
them to remember their encounters with birds, and thus makes them
better prepared to identify those birds in the future.  Consider
creating one of your own; if you do, you'll enhance its usefulness
if you include the dates and locations of your sightings.

The term "lister" refers to a person who particularly enjoys the sport
of seeing as many bird species as possible within defined geographic
areas.  So a lister might have a North America list, a backyard list,
a Kentucky list, and a Sweden list.  Sometimes the term is used pejora-
tively to imply that someone's interest in the natural world is super-
ficial.  Do not make this implication on rec.birds (see section 0 above).

If you are keeping your lists for your own purposes, you are free to
establish your own criteria for when you may include a bird on it.
Should you include birds that you identified solely on the basis
of their songs?  Even if they're nocturnal?  Birds that you saw only
in silhouette?  All such choices are up to you.  Many birders with a
naturalistic bent apply a stringent criterion: birds may be counted
only if you feel that you've "met" them.

On the other hand, if you intend to submit your list to an organization
of competitive birders, you must abide by their rules.  For instance,
the American Birding Association forbids the inclusion of "heard-only"
birds on North American lists.  Another important criterion for ABA listing
is that listed birds must be of species on the official ABA list.  That
means that you can't count an escaped parrot, for instance.  Most birders
don't count escaped domestic or cage birds even for informal listing.

-----

4.  I found an injured bird; what can I do?

Most people's encounters with injured wild birds happen around plate-
glass windows.  Birds strike glass windows and doors frequently, apparently
because of the reflections of sky they create.  In most cases, the bird
is simply stunned.  The best way to save the bird's life is to shoo
potential predators from it until it recovers and flies off.

If you find a large bird, such as an owl, a hawk, or a vulture, that
has been wounded, you may wish to contact a rehabilitation center, such
as the Carolina Raptor Center ([phone]) or the Vermont Raptor
Center ([phone]), for assistance.

Be aware that touching large wild birds can be dangerous.

-----

5.  I found an abandoned nestling; what can I do?

If you come across a nest full of nestlings with no parent in sight, do
not assume that the nest has been abandoned.  In fact, the best way to
ensure that the nest does not become abandoned is to leave the area at
once.  Birds do not like large animals of any kind near their active nests,
and may cut their losses at any time.

If you find a nestling that has fallen out of the nest, consider placing
it back in the nest if the task can be done quickly and with a minimum
of disturbance.  You may also consider placing it in a nest of the same
species.  In either case, make sure that your attempt is as unobtrusive
and rapid as possible.  You should not feel guilty if, after examining the
situation, you decide not to replace the nestling; no nestling's survival
is guaranteed, in or out of the nest.

If you find a fallen nestling which you cannot replace in a nest, or if
after several hours of unobtrusive observation you determine that a nest
full of nestlings is abandoned, do not attempt to rescue the birds unless
you are prepared to commit to dawn-to-dusk feedings, keeping them close by
you at all times.  See _The Bluebird: How You Can Help Its Fight for
Survival_, by Lawrence Zeleny (Indiana, 1976), for an account of hand-
raising Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis).  Contact a wildlife rehab center
for assistance.

If a bird can perch on a branch by itself and is covered with feathers, it
is a fledgling, not a nestling, and should be left alone.

Note that hand-raising birds without authorization may be a violation
of the law.

-----

6.  A wild bird is annoying me; what can I do?

Probably little.  In countries that have signed the Migratory Bird Treaty,
virtually nothing.

The most frequent reports of bird annoyance on rec.birds are of wood-
peckers pecking on houses.  Woodpeckers peck on things for four main
reasons:

        a.  To find food;
        b.  To send a loud territorial signal;
        c.  To construct nest or roost sites; and
        d.  To store food (some species).

Try to figure out what benefit the bird is deriving from your house,
and remove it.  For example, if a woodpecker is using your wall
as a sounding board, perhaps you can change the surface so that it
resonates less.

In the United States, there are certain commercial products that
purport to discourage woodpeckers by causing unpleasant sensations
on contact.  I have no information on these products.

Chuck Otte suggests thin strips, 3/8 to 3/4 inch wide, of mylar ribbon
about 12 to 18 inches long tacked in the area of damage.  Obtain these
from balloon shops or florists.  Be sure to remove the strips once they
are no longer necessary so as not to create litter.

In any case, any offending bird is not likely to hang around forever.

-----

7.  What is the Migratory Bird Treaty?

In the early twentieth century, several governments realized that
the protection of migratory birds was not something one nation could
accomplish alone, because birds do not respect national boundaries.
The treaty was signed by the United States and Great Britain (on
behalf of Canada) in 1916 and was implemented in the United States
by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.  The United States has similar
treaties with Mexico and Japan, and it also signed one with the
Soviet Union.

The Act makes it illegal to "pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill,
attempt to take, capture, or kill, possess, offer for sale, sell,
offer to barter, barter, offer to purchase, purchase, deliver for
shipment, ship, export, import," etc., migratory birds, parts of
their bodies, or their eggs or nests.  Governmental authorities
may make exceptions to allow, for example, hunting seasons or
research work; in these cases, licenses or permits are involved.

The "take" provision above makes it imperative that birders
refrain from harassing birds that are attempting to nest.  See
"Birders and the U.S. Federal Laws" in the October 1992 _Birding_
for more information.  Note also the "possess" provision above;
it explains why wildlife rehab centers do not give molted feathers
to persons who request them.

In the United States, the Act appears in law at 16 USC 703-711 and
is implemented by regulation at 50 CFR 21.11, 10.12, 10.13.

-----

8.  I saw a rare bird!  What do I do?

If you saw it on private property, seek the property owner's permission
before publicizing it.  See "ETHICS FOR BIRDERS," below.

Assuming that you've received permission, or if the bird was seen on
public lands, post a report to rec.birds, of course.  Include a complete
description of the bird; the date, time, and location of the sighting; the
names of those who saw it; and whether photos were obtained.

In North America, you can also call the North American Rare Bird Alert
(U.S. and Canada: (800) 458 BIRD).  You can also call the regional
rare-bird hotline; North American numbers are published regularly
in _Winging It_ (see section 19 below).

-----

9.  Why does everybody seem to hate Starlings and House Sparrows so much?

European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and House Sparrows (Passer
domesticus) are European species that have been introduced in several
parts of the globe.  In particular, Starlings were introduced to North
America by one man, Eugene Schieffelin, who wished to increase the
popularity there of William Shakespeare; he set out to introduce all
the birds mentioned in the Bard's writings.  Starlings were his greatest
success.

In areas where they are native, these species receive both affection
and scorn, as does any aggressive or conspicuous species in its home
range.  In areas where Starlings and House Sparrows have been introduced,
however, they compete for food and nesting sites with native species;
thus they have a detrimental effect on biological diversity.  The decline
of cavity-nesting birds (such as bluebirds, Sialia spp.) in North America
has been attributed in part to them.

Because they are not native species, these two, along with city
pigeons ("Rock Doves," Columba livia), are not protected in North
America.

-----

10. Why does everybody seem to hate Cowbirds so much?

Many cowbird species, such as Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
and Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus), are brood parasites.  That is,
female birds lay their eggs in nests of birds of other species; the
cowbird chicks hatch first and outcompete the other chicks for food
and parental attention.

This behavior is an evolutionary adaptation.  Birds are not moral
agents, so we cannot describe brood parasitism as immoral.  Nevertheless,
many birders cannot help but find it repugnant, particularly when treated
to the spectacle of a cowbird chick being frantically fed by parents
smaller than the chick itself.  This revulsion no doubt contributes
to cowbirds' bad press.

However, cowbirds have been helped along by human activities.  They
prefer as a habitat open lands, such as prairies, and the edges of
woodlands, and humans have created limitless acres of cleared space
and limitless miles of edges over the past century through development
and roadbuilding.  Cowbirds have thus spread widely, and they are now
too successful for the survival of many other bird species.  Thus they
are trapped systematically by authorized persons in areas where they
threaten endangered species, and some prominent ornithologists are
calling for mass harvests of cowbirds on their winter roosts.

Because they are native species, cowbirds in North America ARE protected
under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

-----

11. I saw a bird which I can't identify.  Can someone help me?

Quite likely.  Post as complete a description of the bird as you can.
Give the location in which you found the bird, and describe the habitat.
Also describe its behavior and any vocalizations you heard.

Obviously, describing the bird will be easier if you took notes while
observing it, an excellent habit to be in.  Most field guides include
a "map of a bird": a schematic drawing of a bird with all the parts of
its anatomy labeled.  This picture will help you note the details of an
unknown bird systematically.

-----

12. How do I keep squirrels out of my feeders?

You will not be able to exclude squirrels entirely, as they are wily
creatures.  If you view your interaction with squirrels as a war,
you will lose, and most people find it very demoralizing to be defeated
by an opponent with a brain the size of a ball bearing.

In most cases, you can diminish squirrels' consumption of your bird feed
through three simple tactics:

         a. Place your bird feeder on a post at least ten feet away
            from any potential jumping-off point.
         b. Mount a baffle on the post.
         c. Ensure that there is some food for squirrels, such as
            by tolerating spillage of bird feed.

-----

13. How can I make homemade hummingbird nectar?

Heat four measures of water and add one measure of white table sugar;
stir until the sugar dissolves.  Allow the mixture to cool.

There is no need to color the nectar.  Hummingbirds will take nectar
from any suitable dispenser regardless of the nectar's color; it does
help, however, if the dispenser itself is red.

Change the nectar and meticulously clean the feeder at least weekly, if
not more often.  Some rec.birds readers recommend changing the nectar
daily in hot weather.

Providing only nectar to hummingbirds does not endanger their diet.
They do need protein, but they eat insects and spiders to obtain it.

-----

14. Which field guide should I buy as a first purchase?

The most general advice one can give is this: Go to your bookstore
and buy any field guide in which the birds are illustrated with
paintings rather than photographs.  Paintings in field guides pose
the birds for maximum learning, and call attention to the distinguishing
features that are most important in the field.  Regrettably, the
National Audubon Society's field guide uses photos, and is thus
of limited learning value.  On the other hand, photo field guides
do show birds as they would appear under actual lighting conditions,
so they can be valuable in making identifications.  You may wish to
consider a photo-based field guide as a later purchase; it's common
for birders to own and use several field guides.

The ultimate advice for a first-purchase field guide is this: go to a
bookstore and select whichever book for your area you feel most comfortable
with.  Enjoyable associations with the birding hobby have begun with all.

In North America, the four most popular painted general-purpose field
guides are the following:

National Geographic Society: _Field Guide to the Birds of North America_
    ISBN: 0-87044-692-4

Peterson, Roger Tory: _A Field Guide to the Birds_ (eastern and central)
 and _Western Birds_ (published by Houghton Mifflin)
    ISBN: 0-395-26619-X, 0-395-51424-X

Zim, Herbert S., et al: _Guide to Field Identification: Birds of North
 America (published by Golden Books, hence called the "Golden" book)
    ISBN: 0-307-37002-X and 0-307-33656-5 (pbk.)

Each choice has its advantages and disadvantages.  For example, the
Peterson books are easier to carry in the field than the NGS book, because
each covers only half the continent.  Beginners may find it helpful that
each Peterson volume shows only those birds likely to be found in its
covered region, so there are fewer confusing choices (of course, birds
do wander).

The NGS book and the Golden book both present each species' range map on
the same page as its description, a great convenience.  The Golden book is
the only one of the three to to present "sonograms," graphical represen-
tations of birds' songs and calls, but these graphs are difficult to use
correctly.

All of the books include a few paintings which some birders find
questionable.

North American beginners who feel overwhelmed by the number of birds in
these all-purpose books should consider the _Peterson First Guide: Birds_.
It displays the most common North American birds in a convenient format.

The most often recommended European field guide is Lars Jonsson's _Birds
of Europe, with North Africa and Middle East_.  In the U.K. and central
Europe, Harris, Tucker, and Vinicombe's _The Macmillan field guide
to bird identification_ will be useful.  (The book is available in
French and German as well as English.)

The most commonly used field guides for Australian birds are Simpson and Day,
_Field Guide to the Birds of Australia_ (Penguin Books, Aust.); and
Slater, Slater, and Slater, _The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds_
(Weldon)

King et al., _A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia_ (Collins,
London) has also been recommended (although it now seems to be out of
print).

-----

15. I'm going on a trip. How can I find out where are good places to go
    birding?

There may be a "bird-finding guide" for the area you wish to visit.
Bird-finding guides are books that cover the birdlife of an area in
detail; they include discussions of promising sites, maps and directions,
and indications of birds' seasonal abundance.  The American Birding
Association offers by mail order an enormous selection of these books,
covering both North America and elsewhere, and their service is quite
prompt.  See section 19 for information on how to reach them.

Please post your request as well to rec.birds.  Locals (and recent
visitors to the same area) may be able to give you up-to-the-minute
information, and you might even find people to go birding with when
you're there.

-----

16. What kind of binoculars should I buy?
17. What kind of scope should I buy?

For both these questions, see the Optics FAQ, posted regularly in
rec.birds by Ed Matthews <[e-mail]>.

-----

18. How can I get on-line bird checklists?

A checklist of the birds of North America is available on floppy disk
from the American Birding Association (see section 19 below).

The American Ornithologists' Union 1991 bird list is available for download
as AOU91.ZIP from The Osprey's Nest BBS, [phone].

[Elsewhere?]

-----

19. What are good wild-bird magazines?

That depends on your purpose.  Bird magazines have three main offerings:
interesting articles, compelling photography, and records of unusual
sightings.  Many publications have strengths in only one area.

Here are some addresses of North American magazines.  (See the next
section for scholarly magazines, published by professional ornitho-
logical associations.)

         _American Birds_ (five issues; important repository of sighting
                           records; in financial difficulty; US$30/yr)
         P.O. Box 490
         Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
         700 Broadway
         USA

          (editorial address is 700 Broadway, New York, New York 10003, USA
                [phone])

         _Birders Journal_ (bimonthly; general-interest; C$34/yr)
         Circulation Department
         8 Midtown Dr., Suite 289
         Oshawa, Ontario L1J 8L2
         CANADA

         _Birder's World_   (bimonthly; general-interest;
                             outstanding photos; US$19.75/yr)
         Subscription Dept.
         434 W Downer Pl
         Aurora, Illinois 60506-9919
         USA

         _Birding_ (bi-monthly; with _Winging It_, a monthly newsletter;
                    US$30 with membership)
         American Birding Association, Inc.
         P. O. Box 6599
         Colorado Springs, Colorado 80934
         USA
         Toll-free phone (North America) [phone]
         ABA Sales: in North America [phone]
                    Otherwise [phone]

         _Birds of the Wild_ (quarterly; C$16.00/yr)
         P.O. Box 73
         Markham, Ontario L3P 3J5
         CANADA

         _Bird Watcher's Digest_ (bimonthly; aimed at novices and backyard
                                  feeders; US$17.95/yr)
         Pardson Corporation
         P. O. Box 110
         Marietta, Ohio  45750-9977
         USA
         In North America [phone]

         _Living Bird_ (quarterly; US$30 with membership)
         Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
         159 Sapsucker Woods Road
         Ithaca, New York  14850
         USA

         _Partners in Flight/Aves de las Americas_ (free quarterly)
         National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
         Suite 900, Bender Bldg.
         1120 Connecticut Ave., NW
         Washington, DC 20036
         USA

         _WildBird_     (monthly; general-interest; US$23.97/yr)
         Subscription Dept.
         P.O. Box 52898
         Boulder, Colorado 80323-2898
         USA

In the United Kingdom:

         _British Birds_ (monthly; Europe, the Middle East, and North
                         Africa.  US$73 or 38.60 pounds sterling.  Sample
                         issue requests should be directed to Erika
                         Sharrock at this address, mentioning this FAQ)
         Fountains
         Park Lane
         Blunham
         Bedford
         MK44 3NJ
         ENGLAND

         _Birds_ (quarterly; 19 pounds sterling/yr)
         Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
         The Lodge
         Sandy
         Beds
         SG19 2DL
         ENGLAND

-----

20. What are good wild-bird-related organizations?

Start locally.  Your local bird club, or, in North America, chapter
of the Audubon Society, organizes birding trips that will help you
hone your skills.  Many states and regions have independent ornitho-
logical societies.

The National Audubon Society, once a bird-oriented conservation
group, is now trying to be a broad-spectrum environmental organization;
whether it is succeeding is a matter of debate.

        National Audubon Society
        700 Broadway
        New York, New York 10003
        USA

In North America, the organization dedicated to birding as a sport
is the American Birding Association.

        American Birding Association
        P.O. Box 6599
        Colorado Springs, Colorado 80934
        USA
        Toll-free phone in North America [phone]
        Otherwise [phone]

Professional ornithological associations, by and large, are much more
welcoming of amateur members than those of other sciences.  They publish
scholarly journals, which may be had very reasonably with membership.

        The American Ornithologists' Union, US$35/yr
        (publishes _The Auk_ quarterly [although it has been delayed recently])
        810 East Tenth Street
        Lawrence, Kansas 66049-8897
        USA

        Western Field Ornithologists
        (Covers Western North America US$18/yr (outside U.S. US$23))
        c/o Dori Myers, Treasurer
        6011 Saddletree Lane
        Yorba Linda, CA 92696

        The British Ornithologists Union, 18 pounds sterling/yr
        (publishes _The Ibis_ quarterly)
        c/o British Museum
        Sub-Department of Ornithology
        Tring
        Herts HP23 6AP
        ENGLAND

        Norsk Ornitologisk Forening
        (publishes _Vaar Fuglefauna_ quarterly)
        Seminarplassen 5
        7060 Klaebu
        Oslo
        NORWAY

        Bird Observers Club of Australia
        (publishes The Bird Observer, monthly except January; A$40/yr,
         overseas A$60 includes airmail)
        183 Springvale Rd
        Nunawading, Victoria 3131
        AUSTRALIA
        fax [phone]

        The Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, A$64/yr
        (publishes _The Emu_)
        21 Gladstone Street
        Moonee Ponds, Victoria 3039
        AUSTRALIA

        Papua New Guinea Bird Society
        P.O. Box 1598
        Boroko, NCD
        PAPUA NEW GUINEA

        Southern African Ornithological Society, around R65/yr
        (publishes _Birding in Southern Africa_; scientific members
         [around R20 more] also receive _Ostrich_)
        P.O. Box 84394
        Greenside
        Johannesburg 2034
        SOUTH AFRICA
        [phone]
        fax [phone]

Here is a sampling of international conservation organizations:

        The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
        The Lodge
        Sandy
        Beds
        ENGLAND
        [phone]

        BirdLife International (formerly International Council for
                                Bird Preservation; quarterly journal, US$35/yr)
        Wellbrook Court
        Girton Road
        Cambridge
        CB3 0NA
        ENGLAND
        [phone]

          (U.S. affiliate : World Bird Club
                            P.O. Box 57242
                            Washington, DC 20037-7242
                            [phone])

        British Trust for Ornithology
        The Nunnery
        Thetford
        Norfolk
        IP24 2PU
        ENGLAND

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21. What is BIRDCHAT?  EuroBirdNet?

BIRDCHAT is one of a family of mailing lists dedicated to wild birds.
BIRDCHAT is for discussion of general wild-bird topics; the subjects
are much like those raised on rec.birds, but the tone is slightly
more serious.  It is not forbidden to post an article both to BIRDCHAT
and rec.birds if the content is not frivolous.

BIRDEAST, BIRDCNTR, and BIRDWEST, other mailing lists in the family,
contain reports of rare birds (transcribed by volunteers from hotlines)
from eastern, central, and western North America, respectively.

To subscribe to BIRDCHAT, send a message to [e-mail]
containing this command:

SUBSCRIBE BIRDCHAT Your Name

To unsubscribe, send this message:

SIGNOFF BIRDCHAT

For more information, send this message:

HELP

EuroBirdNet is a private mailing list for relaying information about
birds in Europe, mostly consisting of rarity reports and trip reports.
Join by sending e-mail to Annika Forsten <[e-mail]> .

-----

22. Are there good computer programs for maintaining bird lists?

Commercial computer programs exist for this purpose; they are advertised
in the back pages of many birding magazines.

One prominent commercial program, AviSys, is reviewed in the August
1992 issue of _Birding_.  _Birding_ has reviewed several such programs
in the past few years, including Plover.  _Living Bird_ reviewed nine
PC-based programs in its Summer 1992 issue.

Many shareware and public-domain programs also exist, such as LifeLister.
Check public-domain archives to get copies of these programs.

Carena Pooth <[e-mail]> graciously provided the following list
of names, addresses, and phone numbers.  If you find any problems with
it, please notify her as well as the FAQ maintainer.  All prices are
U.S. dollars.

  Aves (In N.A. (800) 925-BIRD) Ecosystem Software, 638 El Dorado
    Ave., Oakland, CA 94611      $65
  AviSys (In N.A. [phone]) Perceptive Systems, P.O. Box
    3530, Silverdale, WA 98383 $89.95 (Version 3.0)
  BirdBase ([phone]) Santa Barbara Software Products
    1400 Dover Rd., Santa Barbara, CA 93103 $59.95 (99.95
    for world list version)
  Birdlist ([phone]) Bird Commander, Inc., P.O. Box
    34238, Bethesda, MD 20817       $99
  Birds ([phone]) Scientia Enterprises, 2536 Cedar
    Canyon Drive, Marietta, GA 30067   $75
  Datahawk ([phone])  $89 (Version 2)
  Flexi-List (In N.A. [phone]) Parkway Software, P.O. Box 275
    Villanova, PA 19085   $50
  Plover ([phone]) Sandpiper Software, 9 Goldfinch Ct.
    Novato CA 94947  $68; demo disk $3
  Sialis ([phone]) Alfred Milch, 461 Palmer Ave.,
    Teaneck, NJ 07666     $75

Nina Mollett recommends MacPeregrine for the Macintosh (Whole Life Systems,
P.O. Box 162, Rehoboth, NM 87322).  Another Macintosh prodict is BirdBrain,
which was reviewed in the December 1989 issue of _Birding_.

If you use a bird-listing program, please post a review to rec.birds.

-----

23. Where can I get digitized pictures of birds?

The AVES Internet archive stores images of birds, as well as digitized
recordings of bird songs.  Connect by anonymous FTP or gopher to
vitruvius.cecer.army.mil (129.229.21.78).  The archive is managed
by Russ Glaeser <[e-mail]>.

-----

24. Where can I find recordings of birdsongs?

For North American birds, Houghton Mifflin's Peterson series includes
Walton and Lawson's _Backyard Bird Song_, a simple introduction to common
birds, as well as _Birding by Ear_, a more advanced course.  I have only
seen these in cassette format.  They also offer "aural field guides"
for North America on cassette and compact disc: there is an Eastern/
Central and a Western volume.

The National Geographic Society (In N.A. [phone]) offers an audio
field guide.  Lang Elliot offers a series of recordings called _Know Your
Bird Songs_ that are very useful for advanced and intermediate birders.

If you can't find these items locally, try the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's
shop at [phone].

-----

25. I found a dead bird with a band.  What do I do?
    I saw a banded or marked bird.  What do I do?

Report sightings of geese with 3-character orange neck collars to:

         Dick Kerbes
         Canadian Wildlife Service
         115 Perimeter Road
         Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 0X4
         CANADA

Report sightings of geese with 4-character orange neck collars to:

         Donald Rusch
         Department of Wildlife Ecology
         226 Russell Labs
         University of Wisconsin
         Madison, Wisconsin 53706
         USA

Report sightings of color-banded shorebirds to:

         Doug Helmers
         Manomet Bird Observatory
         Box 1770
         Manomet, Massachusetts 02345
         USA

Otherwise, for birds found in the U.S., send the band or a description of
it, along with a description of the bird and the date and location of the
encounter, to

         Bird Banding Lab
         Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
         12100 Beach Forest Rd
         Laurel, Maryland 20708-4037
         USA

They may be able to help with banded birds found in Canada.

-----

26. If we throw rice at our wedding, will birds eat it and explode?

We are aware of no documented cases of birds suffering from eating rice.
Joe Morlan writes, "Bobolinks are reported to cause considerable
damage to rice fields in parts of the southeast during fall migration.
The alternate name for the Java Sparrow is 'Ricebird' because of its
food preferences."

See the June 1993 issue of _Bird Watcher's Digest_ for more information.

-----

27. Does providing food at feeders during summer keep birds from migrating?

No.  If you have a bird at your feeder during winter that "should have
migrated," it was injured or too ill to migrate.

-----

28. ETHICS FOR BIRDERS

This section is excerpted from Claudia Wilds's outstanding book _Finding
Birds in the National Capital Area_ (Smithsonian, 1992; available from
the ABA).

 1.  Put the welfare of the bird first.
     a.  Do nothing that would flush a bird from its nest or keep it
         from its eggs or young.
     b.  Avoid chasing or repeatedly flushing any bird; in particular,
         do not force a tired migrant or a bird in cold weather to use
         up energy in flight.
     c.  Do not handle birds or their eggs unless you have a permit
         to do so.
     d.  Make a special effort to avoid or stop the harassment of any
         bird whose presence in the area has been publicized among
         birders.  This stricture especially applies to the use of
         tapes and to the disturbance of nesting birds, and of vagrants
         and rare, threatened, and endangered species.
     e.  If you think a bird's welfare will be threatened if its presence
         is publicized, document it carefully and report its presence only
         to someone who needs to have the information (e.g., a refuge
         manager, an officer of the appropriate records committee, the
         editor of the appropriate journal).  If you are not sure,
         discuss it with the manager of a rare bird alert or another
         experienced and responsible birder.
 2.  Protect habitat.
     a.  Stay on existing roads and trails whenever possible.
     b.  Leave vegetation as you find it; do not break it or remove it
         to get a better view, or trample marshland into mud.
 3.  Respect the rights of others.
     a.  Do not trespass on property that may be private, whether or not
         "No Trespassing" signs have been posted.  Ask the landowner
         directly for access unless specific permission for birders to
         enter the area has been announced or published.
     b.  Do not enter closed areas of public lands without permission.
     c.  If you find a rare bird on land that is closed to the public,
         do not publicize it without describing the possible consequences
         of doing so to the owner and obtaining appropriate permission.
     d.  Stay out of plowed or planted fields and managed turf or sod.
     e.  By behaving responsibly and courteously to nonbirders at all
         times, help to ensure that birders will be welcome everywhere.
         Do nothing that may have the consequence of excluding future
         birders from an area.
     f.  When seeking birding information from others call only between
         9 a.m and 9 p.m. unless you know that your call will be welcome
         at that number at other hours.

-----

29. Acknowledgements

Thanks to the many persons who reviewed this document, especially the
following, who provided additional information or text: Tom Lathrop,
Christine Barker, Ignaz Wanders, Annika Forsten, Samuel Conway, Tony
Lang, Sterling Southern, Byron K. Butler, Al Jaramillo, Ed Matthews,
Celia E. Humphreys, Fred G. Thurber, Paula Ford, Malcolm Ogilvie, Daan
Sandee, Carena Pooth, Nina Mollett, Mike McLeish, Janet Swift, Christian
Steel, David Allen, James Dean, Joe Morlan, Mark Huff, Kevin McGowan,
Chuck Otte, Bernard Volet, Paul Burnett, Jennifer Norman, and Mark Hammond.

Thanks to Laura Keohane of the law firm Dorsey and Whitney, of
Minneapolis, for providing the text of the Migratory Bird Treaty
Act.  (Neither Dorsey and Whitney nor any of its members has read
this document, nor have they any responsibility for this document's
content.)

_The Birder's Handbook_, by Paul Ehrlich et al. (Simon and Schuster,
1988) provided valuable information and is highly recommended.

Please notify the FAQ editor of any errors.  If I have failed to
acknowledge your contribution, please do not hesitate to let me
know.  Further information on any subject is always welcome.

*******End of the rec.birds FAQ*******