Council

[Michael Gochfeld]

The Ornithological Societies of North America (OSNA), a consortium of 
the American Ornithologists' Union, Cooper Ornithological Society, 
Wilson Ornithological Society, Field Ornithologists', Raptor Research, 
Colonial Waterbird Society, etc, has formed an Ornithological Council 
with an executive director.  One of its objectives is to improve the 
dialogue with the regulatory agencies regarding the scientific study 
(including collecting) of birds.  

After some egregious episodes of harassment of scientists, there is some 
optimism for a more realistic approach to regulation or at least to 
enforcement. 

More analagous to recreational butterflying, is the fact that bird 
watchers are getting accustomed to increasing limitations on what can be 
done while bird watching:  for example, tape recorders are increasingly 
frowned on and in some cases barred.  Even "spishing" to attract birds 
is a no-no in certain places.  The hours one can "bird", the paths one 
can tread, and how close one can approach certain species, are limited 
in many places. 

Where endangered and threatened bird species are concerned, the 
constraints are even more severe. 

Bird watchers haven't necessarily taken this lying down.  There was an 
uproar when the National Wildlife Refuges began charging admission, for 
example. But now people have gotten used to paying admission. 

The pages of BIRDING magazine have seen many columns and letters and 
articles devoted to these "ethical" issues of good conduct among bird 
watchers. 

In some cases and some places you may have to identify yourself as a 
serious birdwatcher, to gain access to certain areas. 

Since lots of bird watching (particularly in the East) goes on on public 
lands (Local, State, National Parks, Preserves, Refuges, or on 
Private-Public Lands such as Nature Conservancy Reserves), bird watchers 
simply have had to learn to abide by the rules and respect closed areas, 
etc, even when they don't like them or don't understand why certain 
areas are closed. 

"the times they are a-changing", .  Mike Gochfeld