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Syke's Warbler (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Tony
- Start date
No, unfortunately I'm not kidding. See September 14th. at the URL below. I believe it was widely condemed by most Icelandic birders.
http://www.hi.is/~yannk/birdnews.html
Tony
http://www.hi.is/~yannk/birdnews.html
Tony
Tony
I also didn't realise the bird was dead!
That's terrible.
I hope the people who did this don't consider themselves to be birders or bird lovers because as far as I'm concerned they're a bunch of tossers!!!
Sorry about the language but in this case it's justified!
paj (Frank)
I also didn't realise the bird was dead!
That's terrible.
I hope the people who did this don't consider themselves to be birders or bird lovers because as far as I'm concerned they're a bunch of tossers!!!
Sorry about the language but in this case it's justified!
paj (Frank)
Re:Sykes' Warbler
Hi all,
Firstly,in response to pajarero's comment:
"I also didn't realise the bird was dead!"
The bird is clearly alive in the photos on the website,whether it was killed afterwards or not is another matter.
I personally think that the word "collected" may have been used erroneously to mean "trapped" due to the difficulties inherent in using a foreign language.If a Sykes' Warbler were trapped by ringers,measurements taken and the bird released it would be relatively straightforward to arrive at the correct identification,thus negating any "need" to kill the bird(not that this can be justified).If the ID was really problematic a blood sample could be taken(but only as a last resort).
I think that it was tentatively identified as Sykes' in the field anyway?
Would like to see a live Sykes' over here........
Harry
Hi all,
Firstly,in response to pajarero's comment:
"I also didn't realise the bird was dead!"
The bird is clearly alive in the photos on the website,whether it was killed afterwards or not is another matter.
I personally think that the word "collected" may have been used erroneously to mean "trapped" due to the difficulties inherent in using a foreign language.If a Sykes' Warbler were trapped by ringers,measurements taken and the bird released it would be relatively straightforward to arrive at the correct identification,thus negating any "need" to kill the bird(not that this can be justified).If the ID was really problematic a blood sample could be taken(but only as a last resort).
I think that it was tentatively identified as Sykes' in the field anyway?
Would like to see a live Sykes' over here........
Harry
dylan
Well-known member
As a bit of a newbie I'm still uncomfortable seeing pictures of birds being held captive (temporarily) for ringing, it doesn't seem right - however I realise the importance of this activity for learning more about our feathered friends.
The thought that birds are/have been killed for ID purposes makes me feel sick. Does this still happen?
Dylan.
The thought that birds are/have been killed for ID purposes makes me feel sick. Does this still happen?
Dylan.
Birds are regularly "collected" in the US,even in cases where the bird has been seen by a number of observers,has been caught on film/video and where the identification is straightforward.
I think that the tide is turning,and more and more "rank-and-file" birders are speaking out against it(collecting is done by academics;it seems they don't even trust experienced birders to identify the birds)
Birds used to be shot to confirm the identification in Britain and Ireland,but this changed around the 1950's(the late Major Ruttledge being an advocate of observation and note-taking over here).Obviously the improved quality of optics around this time facilitated this approach.Birds are no longer shot for this purpose in most countries,but obviously rarities committees may require detailed descriptions/photos/video/biometrics etc.
I think that the tide is turning,and more and more "rank-and-file" birders are speaking out against it(collecting is done by academics;it seems they don't even trust experienced birders to identify the birds)
Birds used to be shot to confirm the identification in Britain and Ireland,but this changed around the 1950's(the late Major Ruttledge being an advocate of observation and note-taking over here).Obviously the improved quality of optics around this time facilitated this approach.Birds are no longer shot for this purpose in most countries,but obviously rarities committees may require detailed descriptions/photos/video/biometrics etc.
Colin
Axeman (Retired)
I am also shocked to think that this bird has been killed and I did not believe this when it was discussed in the chat room last night. I do not agree with it one bit. For id now there is such a thing as DNA and as Harry has said, a blood sample would do the trick or possibly a small piece of a feather. I remember a Blyths Reed Warbler was confirmed as not a true one when a feather sample was taken at Portland last year with a problematic bird.
The only thing that I can think of in this case and this is absolutely NO justification for it is that this species has only just been declared a full species and as such perhaps no type specimen exists (because it was not a full species before). This is NOT my argument for this action. I reiterate this is NOT an excuse for the killing in this day and age and I would have thought there would be better ways to record a type specimen, lots of high tech photos, DNA, computer animation from photographs all spring to mind. The poor birds have enough to contend with, without having to run the gauntlet of being 'new'. I am NOT impressed. I will stop now before this post gets X-rated and banned by the administrators.
Colin
The only thing that I can think of in this case and this is absolutely NO justification for it is that this species has only just been declared a full species and as such perhaps no type specimen exists (because it was not a full species before). This is NOT my argument for this action. I reiterate this is NOT an excuse for the killing in this day and age and I would have thought there would be better ways to record a type specimen, lots of high tech photos, DNA, computer animation from photographs all spring to mind. The poor birds have enough to contend with, without having to run the gauntlet of being 'new'. I am NOT impressed. I will stop now before this post gets X-rated and banned by the administrators.
Colin
