On the topic of nesting birds, we at Bucks County Birders would like to reinforce the code of ethics surrounding the protection of the species that are doing the hero’s work of trying to survive and thrive. Nesting is a particularly sensitive period in the life of a bird. There are many factors that can interfere with successful nesting and we don’t want human intervention to be one of those factors.

We understand that many birders have come to the hobby through the beautiful images shared by bird photographers. Their lovely images are a service to increasing the audience and raising awareness of the species we care so much about. That said, using playback during nesting season is not an acceptable method for getting that perfect shot. Use of playback should be extremely limited and restricted to breeding bird surveys and scientific research. The best photos come from patience and luck which is often frustrating but always rewarding.

Find the ABA’s code of ethics here: https://www.birds.cornell.edu/landtrust/aba-code-of-birding-ethics/