Code of Birding Ethics (Birding Etiquette)

The interests of birds come first

Birds respond to people in many ways, depending on the species, location and time of year.
Disturbance can keep birds from their nests, leaving chicks hungry or enabling predators to take eggs or young.
During cold weather or when migrants have just made a long flight, repeatedly flushing birds can mean they use up vital energy that they need for feeding. Intentional or reckless disturbance of some species at or near the nest is illegal in Britain.
Whether your particular interest is photography, ringing, sound-recording or birding, remember that the interests of the bird must always come first.

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.
1(b)(i)Avoid chasing, repeatedly flushing, excessive use of squeakers, "pishing" and recordings, especially during nesting season.
1(b)(ii) 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;
1(b)(iii) Repeatedly playing a recording of bird song or calls to encourage a bird to respond can divert a territorial bird from other important duties, such as feeding its young. Never use playback to attract a species during its breeding season.
1(b)(iv) Keep well back from nests and nesting colonies, roosts, display areas, and important feeding sites to avoid disturbance and exposure to predators. 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.

How to Recognise Stressed Bird Behaviour
· Birds try to attract your attention by flying in front of you.

· Birds try to lure you away from a position.
· Birds carrying food, perched at one position for a long time.
· Birds carrying nesting material, perched at one position for a long time.
· Birds giving alarm call – it’s important to learn your calls!

1(b)(v) Birds, nests, or eggs must not be handled except for recognized research.
1(b)(vi) Use artificial light sparingly for filming or photography, especially for close-ups. High intensity spot lights should not be shone directly on a bird, but at an oblique angle, when carrying out night photography.
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 and trusted source.
1(d) Stay on roads, trails, and paths where they exist; otherwise keep habitat disturbance to a minimum.
1(e) Be an ambassador for birding.
1(f) Send your sightings and support species and site conservation and build the ornithological history eg. MNS-BCC Suara Enggang Bulletin, MNS-BCC Records committee.
1(g) Think about your fieldcraft. Disturbance is not just about going too close - a flock of wading birds on the foreshore can be disturbed from a mile away if you stand on the seawall.
1(h) You can get involved in monitoring schemes.

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) Practise common courtesy in contacts with other people. Your exemplary behavior will generate goodwill with birders and non-birders alike.
2(d) Being quiet is simple courtesy. In residential areas, before 9 a.m., keep voices low, vehicle noises to a minimum.
2(e) Never stop your vehicle in a traffic lane to view birds. Always pull completely onto the shoulder to conduct short-term or long-term viewing. No shoulder? Don't stop.

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.
3(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.
3(b) Minimize unnecessary talk and noise to avoid disturbing birds so that they can be seen by all participants.
3(c) Follow the leaders' pace to allow special sightings to be shared by the entire group.
3(d) 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].
3(e) Be an exemplary ethical role model for the group. Teach through word and example.
3(f) Keep groups to a size that limits impact on the environment, and does not interfere with others using the same area.
3(g) Ensure everyone in the group knows of and practises this code.
3(h) Learn and inform the group of any special circumstances applicable to the areas being visited (e.g. no tape recorders allowed).
3(i) 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.

MNS-Bird Conservation Council
December 2006

Reference:
1. The American Birding Association's Code of Birding Ethics. website http://americanbirding.org/
2. The Ten Commandments of Birding by New Jersey Audubon Society
3. Birding Ethics of The Naturalists' Club of Broome County
4. RSPB Birdwatchers' Code of Conduct

Special Submission (Rare sightings and Breeding Record)

For rare, new bird species sighting and breeding records, please continue to submit your report to the MNS-BCC Records Committee.

Guidelines for the Submission of COUNTRY Records:

There is a need for supporting evidence to be presented before a new or rare record can be verified and accepted. It is therefore important that detailed notes and relevant sketches accompany descriptions of a new or rare sightings. The Records committee will deliberate on whether a record should be accepted or rejected based on the evidence and details submitted by the observers. Listed below are the guidelines for submission of new or rare records to the Records Committee.
· Name(s) of the observer(s) and witnesses
· Observer(s) and witnesses’ contacts (address, telephone and email, if any)
· Name of the species seen (common and scientific names)
· Date of observation
· Time of day (24-hrs)
· Location (include a relevant sketch map and GPS readings, if possible)
· Include details of optics used (binocular or spotting scope)
· The habitat, including the estimated elevation
· Light and weather conditions
· Estimated distance between observer and bird
· Detailed description of the bird, including size, jizz, details of plumage, and soft parts colours
· Behavioural notes on associated species if any
· Supporting evidence such as fieldnotes, colour photograph, video recordings, and sound recordings of voice where possible
· Additional notes

Below is the standard form, you can also download from MNS-website http://www.mns.org.my/article.php?aid=105

Please submit to:
Records Committee Secretary, c/o MNS-Bird Conservation Council, Malaysian Nature Society, JKR 641, Jln Kelantan, Bukit Persekutuan, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-22879422 Fax:03-22878773 Email: mnsrc.rc@gmail.com or email to BIW administrator worldbirds.malaysia@gmail.com




BREEDING RECORD CARDS

Objectives
1. To compile, collate, and disseminate comprehensive data on the breeding biology of all resident birds in Malaysia. This includes referred nesting sites and habitats, the timing of breeding, clutch and brood sizes, hatching and fledging success.
2. To make available all collated information to those interested, such as scientists, birdwatchers, students, etc.

CONSIDERATIONS & PRECAUTIONS
1. Keep disturbances to a minimum. Birds are highly likely to abandon nests at the egg stage rather than when there are nestlings.
2. To look at eggs, make the visit very brief and only ONCE. Do this when the bird is not sitting. DO NOT deliberately flush birds sitting on nest.
3. To record further details of nest material used, do this only after all broods have been fledged and the nest is no longer in use. Do not remove an empty nest as it may be used again.
4. Observe from a safe distance.
5. Do not remove the vegetation surrounding the nest as this will expose the nest to potential predators.
6. When making a visit to examine nest contents, spend only 1-2 minutes once or twice each day (or not at all if the bird is unduly stressed).


Instructions
1. Record only active nests (nests containing eggs and young). If bird species was observed nest building, record the date/dates.
2. Use ONE card for each nest and each clutch of eggs, with appropriate cross-reference where necessary. Record information briefly. If there are a lot of details, attach extra cards or sheets of paper.
3. Identify the bird correctly. Do not submit cards unless identification of the species is 100 percent certain.
4. Write with permanent ink or send in soft copy.
5. Complete initial details for each nest: observer, species, year, locality (as accurately as possible), altitude above sea level, habitat (eg. primary or logged forest, mangrove forest, degraded mangroves, scrub, gardens, disused mining pools, reedbeds, limestone cliff, oil-palm plantation, etc).
6. In the field for nest site, describe it briefly, eg. the fork of a small sapling, 3m above ground, on the side of a gully, beside a stream. Give details of the shape, size & composition of nest (eg. compact cup, 9 cm across & 3 cm deep, moss and plant fibre, externally felted with cobwebs).
7. In the field for notes on eggs, describe shape, size, and colour of eggs if possible (eg. oval, 2.5x2.3 cm, pale blue lightly speckled buff).
8. In the field for Notes on Juveniles, describe colour of juveniles as they develop.
9. In the column for behavioural notes record nesting or feeding behaviour eg. the co-operation of both parents in feeding young & removing the faecal sac. Also record types of food given to young.
10. Fill in details for each visit, including date, time, whether a parent is on the nest (male or female if distinguishable). Note the incubation period of the eggs. Note the age of the young, if this can be determined (stage of feather development of young can roughly indicate age). If nest has been under observation from egg stage, note the fledging period of the young from the time the eggs hatch.
11. If a nest fails for any particular reason, note this, eg. blown down during a rain storm or by strong winds. In the case where the eggs or young have been predated, note the predator species if known.
12. If a cuckoo parasitises the nest while under observation, ascertain its identity and note the egg laid. Use a NEW CARD to record details of the young cuckoo, especially the plumage colour and pattern as well as the tail pattern to facilitate identification. The voice of the young cuckoo at this stage is of little help. Please indicate the appropriate cross-reference on each new card.
13. If successive broods are reared by the same pair, use a new set of cards and state the appropriate cross-reference.
14. Attach supporting photos or drawings.
Send the cards or soft copy to MNS-BCC Records Committee, (c/o Yeap Chin Aik), JKR 641, Jln Kelantan, Bukit Persekutuan, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-22879422 Fax:03-22878773 Email: hod.conservation@mns.org.my

Articles & Bird Sighting Submissions Guidelines to Suara Enggang

Field notes, reports, bird articles, announcements and other write-up submission guidelines:

1. Title of article in bold capitals, with Bird’s Common Name in bold capitals, Scientific Name in bold Title case italics. (Nomenclature follows: MNS-Birds Conservation Council. 2005. A checklist of the Birds of Malaysia – Conservation Publication No. 2. Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Nature Society.)
2. Dates in the description eg. 3 May 2005 or 03/05/2005
3. Dates for list of birds in day/month/year. Two digits for day and month. Eg. 03/12/2005.
4. Credits if there is photo/drawing.
5. Numerics: For numbers below 10 please put in words eg. One, two. For numbers from 10 onwards please put in figures eg. 1, 2.
6. Altitude sightings eg. 1,000 m asl.
7. Measurements & distance in metric system eg 3 m, 10 km
8. Time in 24-hours format eg. 0730 hrs, 1130-1530 hrs.
9. Estimates eg. ca. 200 km
10. Voice/Calls of birds in italics eg. “kek kak”
11. Quoting reference: Please use the following format. Author’s surname in full, coma, then first name in short form. Italics for the name of the book. Year of publication follows by a full stop punctuation. Then the country of publication, colon punctuation, and then the publisher’s name.
Eg.
Reference:
· Jeyarajasingam, A. and Pearson, A. 1999. A Field Guide To The Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore. London: Oxford University Press.
· Birdwatch website http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/website/

Send to compiler: LIM KIM CHYE, 45 Lorong 25, Taman Lake View, 34000 Taiping, Perak. Email: kcyian@tm.net.my


"Recent Sightings" submission:

Since March 2008, all sightings should input directly to Bird I-Witness database. The editors of Suara Enggang will retrieve interesting and rare sightings from the site. However, please continue send in your bird photos, illustrations or voice recording to Nina Cheung, c/o Malaysian Nature Society, JKR 641, Jln Kelantan, Bukit Persekutuan, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Email: chy_nina@yahoo.com