The Bird Herd Touring Safety & Ethics

Safety, Ethics and Parks Visitations

When birding please keep phones on silent mode. Loud ringing and notifications can scare off birds or modify their behaviour. It can also distract other birders and generally leads to a loud phone conversation, which is not desirable.

Please do not walk ahead of the guide. It’s not desirable to have one person walking ahead who runs the risk of flushing a bird, thus robbing the rest of the flock of the opportunity to see it or be the only person to see the bird and possibly be unable to describe or identify the bird.

Please don’t engage in loud conversation, talk off topic, etc.. People’s voices in natural settings carry for considerable distances and will scare off birds or cause them to modify behaviour. It also makes it difficult for everyone else to hear the calls of the birds. Keep all conversations to low tones or whispers. Please don’t be the member of the flock who spoils everyone else’s experience.

Take care not to disturb birds. If you see a bird, try to remember not to waive your arms around wildly or point to enthusiastically. We are are all guilty of this behaviour now and again but try to be mindful.

Do not approach nests or birds which are provisioning their young. We never want to risk causing birds to abandon nests, endure unnecessary stress or struggle to provision their young. If a bird freezes it may be stressed or waiting for us to move on so it can approach its nest or young. If a bird has frozen, it’s best practice to move on.

Please do not disturb birds for a ‘better view’ or ‘image’. Our goal on field trips is totally passive observation of nature and creating opportunities for us to learn about birds and birding. Waiving arms about or calling, whistling or pishing or using playback causes birds to modify behaviour. It can also lead to time wasting for birds which need to feed, make them break cover and expose themselves to danger, interfere with courtship, distract them from provisioning young, etc..

Please minimise flash photography. The jury is out on how detrimental this is to birds but surely a flash in the eyes may temporarily blind a bird and expose it to possible predation or danger. We choose to err on the side of caution. A little fill-in flash may be necessary at times but please use this judiciously.

Playback is not permitted except in exceptional circumstance such as confirming a rarity or vagrant.

Please remain on trails in National Parks and Reserves. Walking off trail, particularly in breeding season (from July to February) poses the risk of nest stomping. It also causes environmental degradation. Let’s make our visits to nature as low impact as possible.

Please don’t attempt to catch, touch or handle any wildlife. The Bird Herd aligns itself with the best conservation principles. We’re about passive observation, discovery and sharing joy and knowledge. We do not consider individuals of other species to be commodities for our enjoyment, nor do we wish to expose them to risk of any kind. Also, one of the first defences wild animals adopt is biting.

Please don’t pick flowers or attempt to sample ‘bush tucker’. The Bird Herd aligns itself with the best conservation principles. We’re about passive observation, discovery and sharing joy and knowledge. There are many fascinating plants with nutritional and therapeutic value in the bush. Talking about them is great, but sampling them – and competing with wildlife for food is not one of our goals. Nor is the risk of exposing members of the flock to an allergic reaction.

Let’s be safe birders. Keep situational awareness, don’t step backwards off a cliff. Avoid trip hazards. Check that you’re not standing on a nest of savage bull ants or meat ants. Don’t wander near cliff edges.

If we encounter snakes give them plenty of room. Snakes are shy and gentle creatures and will always seek escape as their first option. Their second option can be less pleasant for us. If we encounter snakes please give them every opportunity to leave and follow Ricki Coughlan’s instructions.

Please refrain from collecting feathers, etc., from National Parks. Let’s not become poachers. We must follow all the rules and regulations which apply to visitors to National Parks and Reserves.

Help others to see birds, especially beginners or inexperienced members of the flock. If observation of opportunities are restricted, please get a look at the bird and then make space which ensures that everyone in the flock also gets a good view of the bird.

Please respect all cultural artefacts and settings. We must respect culture and the integrity of historical and cultural sites. If we encounter middens, carvings, scar trees, etc., please give them space and don’t handle anything. We attempt to learn if there are any spaces or routes which may bring the flock into contact with sites of significance. Field trips will not knowingly be conducted where cultural taboos of any kind are in place.

Respect your fellow birders and others we encounter and deal with. The Bird Herd is for everyone of all kinds. There is zero tolerance in The Bird Herd for sexist, racist, ageist, ableist, homophobic and transphobic language, tones and behaviour. Some of us hold religious beliefs and some of us don’t. This also needs to be respected. Let’s live and let live, always reminding ourselves to seek joy through mutual respect and open hearts and minds.

No smoking or vaping. Smoking is not permitted in National Parks (fines apply) and on The Bird Herd outings.

We must obey all signs and directions from Park Rangers and staff.