Greetings birding enthusiasts,
I wanted to share a link to an article in the Wall Street Journal on playback. I thought it did a pretty good job of covering both sides, while leaning toward the view that smartphone apps could be a problem and will require revisions of birding ethics guidelines:
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304244904579276551350667062
Like many, I am interested to see where this debate goes! As a friend told me, "In addition to smartphones, we need more 'smart' birders, who use technology with care and really take time to appreciate the birds they see." I couldn't agree more.
This issue desperately needs to be addressed scientifically. Unfortunately, rigorous studies are almost non-existent. Thank goodness my friend Bert recently published his work on the subject (here). But of course, much more work needs to be done across a wider range of species. An important question is whether or not (and how) short-term disturbance affects long-term survival and reproduction. Birds, like all creatures, are resilient and can handle a certain amount of periodic stress in their lives. But does this periodic stress cause individuals to live shorter lives or raise less offspring in the long run? That's a tough question to answer experimentally, but I feel that ultimately it is the most important one.
Happy birding,
Lena
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