Do Bird Song Phone Apps and Other Recorded Playbacks Harm Birds?

The "harmful misuse" of mobile phone apps that mimic birdsong can stop birds performing important tasks such as feeding their young, experts have told the BBC.

Concerned about visitors using bird-call apps to entice seldom-seen species before their cameras, Dorset Wildlife Trust is also asking people to stop using the technology on all of its 42 reserves, arguing that it distracts birds from nesting and tending their young.

Tony Whitehead, from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), has also urged people to consider the consequences of their actions, saying:

Repeatedly playing a recording of birdsong or calls to encourage a bird to respond in order to see it or photograph it can divert a territorial bird from other important duties, such as feeding its young. It is selfish and shows no respect to the bird.

Clearly, this is a difficult and enduring problem. Local San Diego birders may recall a discussion on the subject on the old SDBirds listserv in September 2012 that quickly turned heated, and in which the best arguments presented in favor of using sound recordings in the field was, "I want to, so I will!" So very American.

So what's the objective ground truth?  Well, it depends who you listen to.  But there's an excellent and thoughtful piece on the subject at Sibley Guides online that seems to provide a useful starting place.

Noting that most claims for and against use of recordings are speculative and lacking in substantive research, Sibley offers these recommendations:

Respect for the Birds

• Plan carefully and understand your quarry so that you can guess where the bird is, or where it is likely to be. If you have already heard it or seen it, consider those locations when deciding where to play audio. You must be in (or very near) the bird’s territory to get a useful response.
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• Choose your spot and set the stage – Visualize the scenario of the bird coming into view. How will it approach the recording, and where will it sit so that you can see it? You should play the recording from a location that offers the bird a comfortable approach through its preferred habitat, and also has openings, edges, and/or prominent perches where it will come into view. Many playback efforts are unsuccessful either because the bird will not cross unsuitable habitat, or because dense vegetation allows it to approach closely while remaining hidden.
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• Begin by playing the recording quietly for just a few seconds – for example just two or three songs, then stop, watch, and listen.
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• Use short snippets – If there is any response, try very short snippets of song after that, even stopping the recording after half of a normal song, to try to tease the bird into the open without posing a serious challenge to its self-esteem.
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• Watch for a response – If there is no obvious response after 30-60 seconds, play another 15-30 seconds of sound. Remember that the bird may respond by approaching silently, or by guarding its mate, so a lack of song is not necessarily a lack of response, and you can assume that you are being watched. Watch the vegetation carefully on all sides for an approach, and also watch and listen for a response from neighboring males.
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• Remain calm – If you still don’t detect any response, play the recording again, watch and wait, and repeat. But don’t keep this up longer than about five minutes, and resist the urge to finish with a prolonged, loud barrage of song.
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• Check back later – Many birds will remain silent in the immediate aftermath of the playback, and then begin singing vigorously minutes later. Males in other territories might monitor the playback, and the challenge to their neighbor, and also be stimulated to sing minutes later. If you can wait around, or circle back to check on the area after 10 to 30 minutes, you may find that the desired response to playback is occurring then.
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Respect for ones fellow birders

• Be courteous – Before starting, ask your fellow birders if anyone objects to using playback.
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• Don’t surprise people – Before each burst of playback, announce to the group that you are about to start playback (just quietly saying “playback” will do), and hold the device up above your head during playback so other birders can see at a glance the source of the sound.
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• Be unobtrusive – Keep the volume low and play only short clips of sound – 30 seconds or less – then pause to watch and listen for a response.