PRINCIPLES OF BIRDING ETHICS

Everyone who enjoys birds and birding must always respect wildlife, its environment, and the rights of others. In any conflict of interest between birds and birders, the welfare of the birds and their environment comes first.

Code of Birding Ethics

1. Promote the welfare of birds and their environment.

1(a) Support the protection of important bird habitat.

1(b) To avoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger, exercise restraint and caution during observation, photography, sound recording, or filming.

Limit the use of recordings and other methods of attracting birds, and never use such methods in heavily birded areas, or for attracting any species that is Threatened, Endangered, or of Special Concern, or is rare in your local area;

Keep well back from nests and nesting colonies, roosts, display areas, and important feeding sites. In such sensitive areas, if there is a need for extended observation, photography, filming, or recording, try to use a blind or hide, and take advantage of natural cover.

Use artificial light sparingly for filming or photography, especially for close-ups.

1(c) Before advertising the presence of a rare bird, evaluate the potential for disturbance to the bird, its surroundings, and other people in the area, and proceed only if access can be controlled, disturbance minimized, and permission has been obtained from private land-owners. The sites of rare nesting birds should be divulged only to the proper conservation authorities.

1(d) Stay on roads, trails, and paths where they exist; otherwise keep habitat disturbance to a minimum.

2. Respect the law, and the rights of others.

2(a) Do not enter private property without the owner's explicit permission.

2(b) Follow all laws, rules, and regulations governing use of roads and public areas, both at home and abroad.

2(c) Practice common courtesy in contacts with other people. Your exemplary behavior will generate goodwill with birders and non-birders alike.

3. Ensure that feeders, nest structures, and other artificial bird environments are safe.

3(a) Keep dispensers, water, and food clean, and free of decay or disease. It is important to feed birds continually during harsh weather.

3(b) Maintain and clean nest structures regularly.

3(c) If you are attracting birds to an area, ensure the birds are not exposed to predation from cats and other domestic animals, or dangers posed by artificial hazards.

4. Group birding, whether organized or impromptu, requires special care.

Each individual in the group, in addition to the obligations spelled out in Items #1 and #2, has responsibilities as a Group Member.

4(a) Respect the interests, rights, and skills of fellow birders, as well as people participating in other legitimate outdoor activities. Freely share your knowledge and experience, except where code 1(c) applies. Be especially helpful to beginning birders.

4(b) If you witness unethical birding behavior, assess the situation, and intervene if you think it prudent. When interceding, inform the person(s) of the inappropriate action, and attempt, within reason, to have it stopped. If the behavior continues, document it, and notify appropriate individuals or organizations.

Group Leader Responsibilities [amateur and professional trips and tours].

4(c) Be an exemplary ethical role model for the group. Teach through word and example.

4(d) Keep groups to a size that limits impact on the environment, and does not interfere with others using the same area.

4(e) Ensure everyone in the group knows of and practices this code.

4(f) Learn and inform the group of any special circumstances applicable to the areas being visited (e.g. no tape recorders allowed).

4(g) Acknowledge that professional tour companies bear a special responsibility to place the welfare of birds and the benefits of public knowledge ahead of the company's commercial interests. Ideally, leaders should keep track of tour sightings, document unusual occurrences, and submit records to appropriate organizations.

Please Follow this Code and Distribute and Teach it to Others

The American Birding Association's Code of Birding Ethics may be freely reproduced for distribution/dissemination. Please acknowledge the role of ABA in developing and promoting this code with a link to the ABA website using the urlhttp://www.aba.org. Thank you.

The Mongoose and the Jungle Crow

It was second day of Diwali. I reached Kolahpur in morning around 9:30 and took an auto to my home. It was nice and cool as compare to heat of Gujarat. I felt like I am on hill station. Entered home and sat on sofa the door of the hall was open and I was watching my backyard. I finished up with drinking tea and went to the backyard. I was watching trees planted by me 10-15 years ago they are producing a good biomass and the soil of my backyard has significantly changed because of this. Thanks to my mom she is still maintaining the compost pit in the backyard.

This compost pit is actually a water tank which was built long back. Now this is exclusively used as compost pit. It is 4 feet tall and 6 feet wide. I am always fascinated with this compost pit as I see lot of insects in it especially the ants and the flies. Common Myna, House Crow, Jungle Crow and House Sparrows are regular visitors to this pit. We started keeping the left over food on the floor in front of the pit to make it easy for these birds to eat it. Just adjacent to this place a big pile of dry wood and sticks is kept which will be a part of compost pit later on.

I was standing near the Custard Apple tree and watching at the fruits. After some time the maid servant brought the left over food and kept on the floor and threw away the water in compost pit. Meanwhile a lone Jungle Crow appeared on the compost pit. He looked cautious and sat there for almost two minutes. After that he jumped on the floor which was about 4 feet down the compost pit. It hastily started eating the food may be he did not want to share his food with anybody.

After some time a male Common Mongoose appeared in front of me on the boundary wall. He came from the rice field just behind my home. He was looking very handsome in the bright sunlight. He rose up on the wall like a stallion and looked in all directions. Looking at his gesture I felt like he is the king of this entire piece of land. He walked few steps and stopped I could not realize what he was watching. Suddenly his mood changed and he climbed down from the wall. He almost got mixed in the grass and the herbs which was about a feet tall. I could hardly see his movement in the grass and did not understand what is happening. He was heading towards the compost pit but was taking a long route. First I thought this guy is scared of something and hiding. However, after two minutes he was behind the pile of sticks. He took more than two minutes to travel only 30 feet. Now I was able to see all the movements because he was in between the pile of sticks and the compost pit. I realized that this guy has something in his mind. First I thought he must have seen some rodent or a snake that’s why he was approaching the compost pit very slowly. After reaching at the end he just disappeared in the corner.

Meanwhile the Jungle Crow kept eating the scraps and was not at all alert. In few seconds I saw the mongoose just a foot away from the crow. At this moment I realized I am going to see something very strange. As per I know the crows do not have natural enemies except for some raptors. But the Jungle Crows are different they generally live alone or in pairs and small flocks. And unfortunately at this moment the crow was alone.

The Mongoose suddenly attacked from the back but the crow realized it. But in desperation instead of flying it just entered in the pile of sticks. Within fraction of second the mongoose entered in the pile. I could not see what happened next because both of them were inside the pile. But after few seconds I heard a loud cry of crow. I could hear the struggle for half a minute and there was a silence. I could not believe I just saw fight between two mighty animals both of them were equally strong and cunning. But one of them was too smart for the day. After sometime the mongoose came out with his priced hunt. He straight away walked in open and sat down. The crow’s neck was hanging on its shoulder and the mongoose was holding its chest in his mouth. He sat down and had look at all directions. A Prinia and Bulbul noticed his presence and started giving alarm calls. But he was least bothered about them because he had hunted something unbelievable.

I decided to leave that place so the mongoose should not be disturbed. And he was the king of the day I need to give him due respect. After an hour I came back and saw three mongooses devouring the crow. I thought a family of hero having a royal lunch.

Indeed it was a great day for me to see something very strange and unbelievable. I have due respect to the soul of the Jungle Crow…