Below is a formatted version of my initial e-mail (I hope...Hotmail turned my
original post into one giant unwieldy paragraph)
Great conversation. I appreciate all comments. I should just be clear that I
haven't fed an owl since 2005. As far as 'the ends justifying the means'
argument then, yes, I do believe the end justifies the means since the 'means'
is aiding the subject bird with a caloric reward (Just like backyard bird
feeding or strapping a deer carcass to a tree)
One person wondered if using a chickadee to attract a Cooper's Hawk for a photo
is ethical. Here is my response:
"I would say the answer to your question is; Is it ethical to capture a wild
chickadee for any purpose? My answer would be no.(Unless you are a bander with
a permit...They are protected). That's an easy one.
But, is it ethical (legal) for me to capture a mouse/vole in my garage? yes,
they are not protected. Is it ethical to then feed it to an owl? In my opinion,
yes. Some folks would say no ('rodent-rights' groups???)." That is a personal
decision.
"I set up a blind at my feeder to get nice, close bird images...But I also know
a shrike often hunts there. Am I using the chickadees/redpolls as bait? Not in
my opinion."
ORIGINAL POST:
My two-cents on Mike Hendrickson's post about another birder's run-in with an
owl photographer.
In full disclosure, I am a wildlife photographer, birder, bird guide, MOU
member and good friend of Mike's (for almost 25 years!). I make part of my
living from guiding, writing and bird photography. I have baited owls with live
mice and thawed dead mice. (E-mail me personally if you have a problem with
this)
I totally agree that if the photographer in question really was teasing the owl
with a piece of brown fur on a string or some such thing, then, yes, this would
be unethical. Why? Because the owl is expending crucial energy (that is
important for surviving the winter) without getting any nutrient (caloric)
reward.
I find the birder's response of "yelling at him to knock it off" unethical. Go
over and have a conversation with him. Nobody responds well to being yelled at.
Explain the caloric reward concept. Be a birding ambassador. And let's face it;
Most birders are also photographers.
I agree in principle with the above birder and Mike: IT IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA TO
TEASE AN OWL WITH A NON-EDIBLE LURE
But let's look at this issue with a level head.
Baiting/Feeding Issue:
During the owl invasion of 2004-2005 I fed and photographed several owls with
both wild-caught mice and Petco white mice. Before doing this I checked with
several owl researchers who had no problem with this. In fact, they raise white
mice themselves to feed to injured raptors. Everyone benefits; The owl foremost
gets a caloric reward (which can be a life saver to a starving bird) and the
photographer/birder gets a memorable view of a rarely witnessed behavior. This
was done on little traveled side roads or in fields.
By the way, these photos have been widely published and no doubt have been of
great educational and inspirational value to folks who have never seen an owl,
let alone a Great Gray, N Hawk Owl or Boreal Owl. Could I have gotten all of
them with patience and not feeding? Some? yes(Almost all, yes), All? no.
Should we quit feeding our backyard chickadees, redpolls etc because they might
hit our picture window and die?...Or because a N Shrike may be attracted to the
abnormal concentration of birds and target them? Because, yes, that's what
happens in our backyards nearly every day. But the greater good is that many
birds are helped (once again with caloric reward) and we get great and selfish
enjoyment from it.
Disturbance Issue:
Just two days ago I guided a group of birders from southern Iowa in the Bog.
Some had never seen a N Hawk Owl. We watched the Sax-Rd bird from the road and
didn't approach since we knew other birders would want to see it. But we found
another bird on Owl Avenue. Two birders wanted a closer look. We waded through
the deep snow to just under the spruce it was perched in. Were we disturbing
this bird? You wouldn't think so from the behavior of the bird...it never even
looked at us! I've seen 100s of Hawk Owls and they are mostly oblivious to
humans. Great Grays are a little more skittish. Use common sense.
Danger Issue:
Sax Road sees about two cars per hour. Many side roads see less than that.
Let's get real. Yes, it would be a bad thing to bait from the shoulder of a
major, heavily-trafficked highway. Owls aren't "conditioned" to feeding on
roadsides since one person feeds one bird once.
Undue Pressure:
Yes, if there was ONE Great Gray...or ONE Hawk Owl that everyone was going to
see, then any undue "harassment" would be UNETHICAL. But when there are many
owls around then this "disturbance" (which I don't think it is) would be spread
around.
Roadside Issue:
Baiting on the opposite side of the road the owl is on would be irresponsible.
Getting off the road and feeding on the same side would be better. Nearly
always, they grab prey and return to the same perch or a nearby perch.
Bottom Line:
BIRDING ITSELF IS BASICALLY A SELFISH ACT; PHOTOGRAPHY ITSELF IS BASICALLY A
SELFISH ACT. The birds do not benefit from us looking at them through
binoculars or from pointing a camera lens at them. But what we do with these
experiences is what can benefit birds: Most of us take our birding
experiences/photographic images and do something with them: We show others cool
birds for the first time...We teach kids about birds....We donate photos for
interpretive signs...We feed the birds themselves (whether it is suet,
sunflower seeds, a deer carcass or Petco mice)...We write educational
articles...We join conservation clubs...We volunteer at a nature center. These
are the important things.
Let the debate begin!
Sparky Stensaas
2515 Garthus Road
Wrenshall, MN 55797
218.341.3350 cell
sparkystens...@hotmail.com
www.stoneridgepress.com
www.kollathstensaas.com
www.sparkyphotos.com
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