E-BIRD GUIDELINES FOR REPORTING SENSITIVE SPECIES
We have posted this story again as a reminder of how to report sensitive species in eBird.
As birders, we all love to see owls--they are beautiful, fascinating, and generally hard to come by. An encounter with an owl can be among the most memorable of birding experiences. In many places, however, roosting owls are vulnerable to disturbance, particularly in areas where owls are scarce and people are abundant! When owls are flushed from their secretive roosting spots they are frequently ‘mobbed’ by crows and jays, creating lots of commotion in the process, and drawing attention to species that rely on their cryptic plumage to help hide them from potential predators. If mobbing occurs frequently, the owls may abandon the roosting site. In the worst-case scenario, a larger predator like a Red-tailed Hawk or Great Horned Owl may be alerted to the presence of the smaller owls, and prey upon them.
We use owls as an example of what might be considered a ‘sensitive species’, but these can change locally and regionally. So what steps should we take to avoid disturbing owls and sensitive species in general? And how does that relate to reporting these birds to eBird?
Be a conscientious birder
It’s up to each and every individual birder to ensure that they behave themselves in the field. The American Birding Association published a Birding Code of Ethics that should be followed by all birders (see below). eBird fully supports these recommendations and we are pleased that the great majority of birders follow this code. We encourage all birders to review these guidelines, and realize that they are established to help protect the birds we all love to watch!
Moreover, take it upon yourself to understand the conservation concerns in your area, and be aware that your actions could impact birds negatively. Use bird conservation resources like local Audubon chapters and the American Bird Conservancy to learn more about the issues in your area. Be smart, be aware, and always keep the bird’s best interests in mind.
How to report sensitive species to eBird
eBird has a series of output tools that display information about birds. Our goal is to promote the exchange of information, and our tools are designed to help people share data. With that in mind, one must consider whether it is appropriate to report specifics about birds that could be considered sensitive. eBirders must take it upon themselves to understand the situation locally and to use their best judgment, as the status of a species may change from place to place. For example, Long-eared Owls are particularly vulnerable to human disturbance in their day roosts across the Northeast, but in the West they can occupy more remote areas away from potential problems.
Here are a few ways to help protect sensitive species when reporting to eBird:
As birders, we all love to see owls--they are beautiful, fascinating, and generally hard to come by. An encounter with an owl can be among the most memorable of birding experiences. In many places, however, roosting owls are vulnerable to disturbance, particularly in areas where owls are scarce and people are abundant! When owls are flushed from their secretive roosting spots they are frequently ‘mobbed’ by crows and jays, creating lots of commotion in the process, and drawing attention to species that rely on their cryptic plumage to help hide them from potential predators. If mobbing occurs frequently, the owls may abandon the roosting site. In the worst-case scenario, a larger predator like a Red-tailed Hawk or Great Horned Owl may be alerted to the presence of the smaller owls, and prey upon them.
We use owls as an example of what might be considered a ‘sensitive species’, but these can change locally and regionally. So what steps should we take to avoid disturbing owls and sensitive species in general? And how does that relate to reporting these birds to eBird?
Be a conscientious birder
It’s up to each and every individual birder to ensure that they behave themselves in the field. The American Birding Association published a Birding Code of Ethics that should be followed by all birders (see below). eBird fully supports these recommendations and we are pleased that the great majority of birders follow this code. We encourage all birders to review these guidelines, and realize that they are established to help protect the birds we all love to watch!
Moreover, take it upon yourself to understand the conservation concerns in your area, and be aware that your actions could impact birds negatively. Use bird conservation resources like local Audubon chapters and the American Bird Conservancy to learn more about the issues in your area. Be smart, be aware, and always keep the bird’s best interests in mind.
How to report sensitive species to eBird
eBird has a series of output tools that display information about birds. Our goal is to promote the exchange of information, and our tools are designed to help people share data. With that in mind, one must consider whether it is appropriate to report specifics about birds that could be considered sensitive. eBirders must take it upon themselves to understand the situation locally and to use their best judgment, as the status of a species may change from place to place. For example, Long-eared Owls are particularly vulnerable to human disturbance in their day roosts across the Northeast, but in the West they can occupy more remote areas away from potential problems.
Here are a few ways to help protect sensitive species when reporting to eBird:
- Wait until the season is over and the sensitive species (e.g., owls) have left before reporting the birds to eBird. You can always go back and ‘edit’ your checklists later to include sensitive species after the birds have departed.
- Do not provide explicit coordinates or directions to sensitive species. When using the mapping tool to plot your location, use the ‘general area’ instead of the exact grove of trees where the birds are. For instance, you may say that birds were seen at a state park, instead of listing the exact location within a state park.
- Delay reporting observations for a week to keep these reports off the ‘eBird Notable Birds feed’. This way news of a rarity will not show up on everyone’s desktop and cause birders to come to your yard!
- Finally, you can also hide observations in eBird after you have submitted a checklist. Go to manage my observations, click on the checklist you want to hide and scroll to the bottom. There is a link to hide the checklist.
