Which camp are you in! (2 Viewers)

[borealowl47]

There been a Sora stuck here in Manitoba as of today -20'c.Obviously going to perish in the next few days with the weather.I personally as a birder think that nature should run it's course others would want it be rescued!
But I am sure that other birders have different opinions.What is yours and why!

 

[birdboybowley]

I'd be in the rescue camp. Why?....Because we can

 

[borealowl47]

I'd be in the rescue camp. Why?....Because we can

We can but should we!That's when the trouble starts!

 

[UtahnBirder]

If there was a viable reason not too (such as saving a bird from a hawk. The hawk needs food, so leave it alone), I could see leaving it alone. But the only thing you harm by not rescuing the bird is the bird itself.
Save it!

 

[Scott_sg]

I think it depends on the situation/species. Ideally nature should be left to take its course, but if we caused it in the first place, then rescue. A bird hit by a car is different to an old bird too tired to migrate.

And Eg. A Bali starling would be a totally different case than a pigeon.

And there are consequences for our interference either way. Not that I am up on ecology up there but from what I know a lot of animals survive on frozen dead things and so on. Just guessing but you could be stopping an eagle or something finding some food next week.

I suppose my point is we dont always know or understand the consequences. Nature can be terribly cruel, but thats how it is.

 

[bkrownd]

We can but should we!That's when the trouble starts!

Let's also get rid of birdfeeders and wildlife rehab centers while we're at it.

 

[birdboybowley]

We can but should we!That's when the trouble starts!

No, the trouble started when we could but didn't!

 

[BayWren]

It's not really clear to me why the bird needs rescuing. Birds are much hardier and stronger creatures than most people give them credit for.

Besides, this is natural selection at work...unless there's evidence that the Sora being present in Manitoba in this case is attributable somehow to human action.

 

[birdboybowley]

Our compassion is something that is supposed to set us apart. In this case who cares whether the bird would naturally freeze/starve to death, if we can do something about it happening (or not in this case) then do it....to take the point to an extreme, a premature baby would naturally die if nothing was done to save it

 

[Quercus]

If you have the fascilities, time, enthusiasm, knowledge and ability to rescue it, look after it, and eventually re-release it successfully... then go ahead... if not, let nature take it's course!

 

[Parker]

Let's also get rid of birdfeeders and wildlife rehab centers while we're at it.

Getting rid of Homo Sapiens would be far better. P.

 

[Stoggler]

Assuming that this bird is in Manitoba quite naturally, then just leave it alone. If it perishes, then that's nature. It's what happens in nature. Things live, then things die. The bird's body will fall somewhere and will become a very useful meal for another animal allowing it to survive in the harsh wintry conditions of Canada. What can be more natural than that?

 

[Mysticete]

I agree with Stoggler

I would also add that I have heard reports of Sora's wintering successfully in some pretty cold climates. I don't know if this bird is as doomed as people make it out to be, nor am I sure that it won't fly away when the habitat freezes up. Rails, Snipe, and similar birds seem sometimes to wait until the very last second to move from a location at times.

 

[Tero]

They are birds. They can fly. We have humming birds flying the wrong way all the time. Nothing we can do about it. They may survive if they go East instead of south, due to birdfeeders. If they go north....

 

[Adam W]

Assuming that this bird is in Manitoba quite naturally, then just leave it alone. If it perishes, then that's nature. It's what happens in nature. Things live, then things die. The bird's body will fall somewhere and will become a very useful meal for another animal allowing it to survive in the harsh wintry conditions of Canada. What can be more natural than that?

Is the correct answer.

 

[TheSeagull]

Assuming that this bird is in Manitoba quite naturally, then just leave it alone. If it perishes, then that's nature. It's what happens in nature. Things live, then things die. The bird's body will fall somewhere and will become a very useful meal for another animal allowing it to survive in the harsh wintry conditions of Canada. What can be more natural than that?

Agree fully.

 

[humminbird]

The trouble started when we assume the bird is going to die if we do not intervene. No evidence to support this at all.

To elaborate on the hummingbird example, we have a hummingbird sitting behind bars in a Chicago zoo because well intentioned people assumed it was going to perish if they did not do something (the Green-breasted Mango that spent several months in Beloit WI). No evidence it would not survive. In fact, the evidence they used to justify capture ("obviously it was in trouble, it was spending all of its time eating") indicates to those who know hummingbirds the bird was preparing for a long journey!
Is the bird any better off behind bars?

 

[chris butterworth]

The trouble started when we assume the bird is going to die if we do not intervene. No evidence to support this at all.

Exactly. All members of all species die ( and that includes H. sapiens, a statement that seems to upset quite a few people, but I don't know why! ). It is of far more use being a corpse in the wild where it's body will nourish something else than being caged, and probably dying anyway.
Chris

 

[lmans66]

Leave it alone....let mother nature do what it does for the good of all creatures...

 

[Scott_sg]

The trouble started when we assume the bird is going to die if we do not intervene. No evidence to support this at all.

To elaborate on the hummingbird example, we have a hummingbird sitting behind bars in a Chicago zoo because well intentioned people assumed it was going to perish if they did not do something (the Green-breasted Mango that spent several months in Beloit WI). No evidence it would not survive. In fact, the evidence they used to justify capture ("obviously it was in trouble, it was spending all of its time eating") indicates to those who know hummingbirds the bird was preparing for a long journey!
Is the bird any better off behind bars?

I can better that nutty story with the following. In Australia a while back the National Parks and Wildlife had to tell people to leave seals alone...they were trying to push them back out to sea! (Of course a few were left wondering why they got bitten etc.)

I think that was south of Perth, when some Southern Seals after storms or whatever decided to take a break for a few weeks on the coast before heading back south.

I also come across a guy once trying to "rescue" a peaceful dove - with a "broken wing". He had even got an old fishing net out and was chasing it around determined to save it. He only actually gave up when I was able to point out the nest to him. On the plus side, it did show how good some birds are at faking it.

So people, often well intentioned can do some weird things.