The newest technology. Have we gone to far? (1 Viewer)

weather · Mar 23, 2005

The newest technology. Have we gone too far?

Found this on the web...http://www.wildlifeacoustics.com/songsleuth/

Is this going too far? Now for almost $500.00, you don't have to learn to bird by ear. I hope they didn't produce a lot of these, because I just don't see this catching on. Am I wrong? Would anyone here use this? What do think about the direction birding is taking?

Mike

Richard D · Mar 23, 2005

weather said:
Found this on the web...http://www.wildlifeacoustics.com/songsleuth/

Is this going too far? Now for almost $500.00, you don't have to learn to bird by ear. I hope they didn't produce a lot of these, because I just don't see this catching on. Am I wrong? Would anyone here use this? What do think about the direction birding is taking?

Mike

I think it's fine if you want to do it that way. Some people find learning song easier than others (and a lot of people's hearing means some of the higher pitched calls are partially (or completely) beyond their hearing). I can't see it catching on because of the price, and to be honest I doubt the software will be that accurate.

Regards

jurek · Mar 23, 2005

I would rush to buy it myself if it had, say, modules with species from different regions of the globe. $500 wouldn't be a problem.

But I seriously doubt if it performs as written and is of any use. Sound recognition is still a difficult task. I heard about some attempts at Cornell lab to automatically tape and ID night migrants, but no succesful attempts.

Blackstart · Mar 23, 2005

Another useless gadget.

No real listening, no struggling to learn. In a word, convenience.

I think I'll save my money.

-Adam

Katy Penland · Mar 23, 2005

I can see its efficacy for more scientific surveying and for intrepid listers who tick everything they see or hear. If it really works in the field, I'd kill to have something like this for the migrant surveys I do where I might otherwise miss an unfamiliar out-of-range warbler or flycatcher.

I don't think, though, that it would ever replace the pleasure of learning birdsong to the general birdwatcher. For me, most of the joy of birding is learning who sings what and just listening to the variations.

Nutcracker · Mar 23, 2005

Be fun to take the US version and point it at a few UK birds (or vice-versa) and see what silly answers it comes up with . . .

Not going to buy one though.

dylan · Mar 24, 2005

I love a good gadget.
What I'd like is something that detects bird calls and points to where the bird is!
Now that would be useful.Not being lazy, just have trouble telling the direction of sound.

streatham · Mar 24, 2005

Nutcracker said:
Be fun to take the US version and point it at a few UK birds (or vice-versa) and see what silly answers it comes up with . . .

Not going to buy one though.

Hi Peter,

I have the feeling you could point it at some US birds and still come up with some silly answers - i'd love to try it though. At the moment it doesn't seem to be able to identify that many birds but it could be very useful in theory for people doing breeding bird surveys or on trips to foreign countries. You'd feel like a bit of an idiot carrying it around though.

Luke

Andrew · Mar 24, 2005

Being completely deaf, if it was perfect, I can see the advantages.

kite1035 · Mar 24, 2005

.I don't think, though, that it would ever replace the pleasure of learning birdsong to the general birdwatcher. For me, most of the joy of birding is learning who sings what and just listening to the variations.[/QUOTE]

Totally agree half the fun of bird watching is the song

Corax67 · Mar 24, 2005

Have to be honest and say that an accurate UK version would be invaluable to me as I suffer from marked frequency deafness.

I solely use a bird's song as a means to locate the area the bird is in and then rely on sharp eyes pick it out & ID it, so any advantage I can gain in the field is a bonus.

Jos Stratford · Mar 24, 2005

dylan said:
I love a good gadget.
What I'd like is something that detects bird calls and points to where the bird is!
Now that would be useful.Not being lazy, just have trouble telling the direction of sound.

With an added option of having a species-specific luring device which then means you can click in whatever species you fancy, turn it on full volume in your garden, return to bed and wait for the gadget to alert you to the presence of the said bird on the perch next to the machine ...preferably the said perch is covered in a generous coating of bird lime to ensure it can't fly away before we saunter over. Birding is now easy, fail safe and you don't even have to do the boring bits like going out and engaging in that tedious art of fieldcraft. And it works out cheaper too 'cos you don't need to buy binoculars or a book as the device both holds the bird and identifies it.

Bluetail · Mar 24, 2005

The acid test will be how it copes with the empidonax flycathers. Now that would be useful. Bet it doesn't though.

Alastair Rae · Mar 24, 2005

Going too far? Maybe. But I'm not prepared to get sniffy about anything that might help someone enjoy birds a bit more. Even with my I struggled to learn all those songs so why shouldn't you hat on.

Mind you, at 8" x 5 1/2" x 3 3/8" and 20 Oz (about 200mm long and 500g), I can't see me sticking one in my pocket for a stroll in the park. |8)|

A CHAPLIN · Mar 25, 2005

Hi Guys,

From an idiot who loves gadgets and still (old lady) can't tell one bird from another, if it is right in front of me fine but 5 seconds later I can't remember the sound) it would be very useful to know who was singing, calling. If I could tell the direction I might actually get to see the bird and as the technology progresses the device could get smaller, look at mobile phones!

It may encourage more people to go birding who knows? We don't all have the time, expertise, knowledge etc. to do it the hard way. Lots of people could benefit us aged ones, deaf people as Andrew said and the disabled.

Ann

Katy Penland · Mar 25, 2005

Bluetail said:
The acid test will be how it copes with the empidonax flycathers. Now that would be useful. Bet it doesn't though.

Thank God Empid song is more highly variable than their plumage! However, with this device I'd be more skeptical of the small built-in mike than any comparative software, which is technology that's been around for quite some time. I was told by the company that you can attach a parabolic mike to this for added distance and accuracy.

dylan · Mar 25, 2005

Jos Stratford said:
Birding is now easy, fail safe and you don't even have to do the boring bits like going out and engaging in that tedious art of fieldcraft. And it works out cheaper too 'cos you don't need to buy binoculars or a book as the device both holds the bird and identifies it.

Jos, I'm deaf in one ear and have a very frustrating time telling direction of sound.
How about a machine for you, that checks your posts so you don't cause offense?

Katy Penland · Mar 25, 2005

Dylan, I'm sure Jos meant no offense. In fact, his smiley at the end clearly says his comment is made tongue-in-cheek.

Jos Stratford · Mar 27, 2005

Hi Dylan,

Sorry if any offence was caused, it was indeed a tongue in cheek remark and was a response to the question "Is this going too far?" in the original message of the thread, i.e. the poster felt maybe it was too much technology, so I added another couple of bits of technology and made a comment on that.

Happy birding!

Nutcracker · Mar 27, 2005

Actually, I don't think this gadget would help deaf / partially deaf people very much. To be able to use it, you'd need to point it at where the sound is coming from, and if you can't localise the sound, there's not much you can do with it. Bit of a catch-22 situation, if you can use it, you don't need it; if you need it, you can't use it.

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