With the rising trend of bird watching in Bhutan, misuse of birds calls audio is a growing concern. Although the use of call playbacks is not a serious issue in Bhutan, it can disturb the habitat and also cause the extinction of species. Call playbacks refer to downloading of bird calls which birders use to lure birds out of their nest for quicker and easier spotting.
Bird watching culture has drastically picked up in Bhutan since 2015. There are over a hundred active birders excluding the tourist birders. According to the Bhutan Birdlife Society, birders lack the ethics of bird watching.
“One of the serious concerns is playing call playbacks. Even though it is not rampant in Bhutan, we have some issues where some of our birders were engaged in using call playbacks to get the attention of birds and this is mainly done to get good photographs of birds,” said Tshering Tobgay, a Founding Member of the Bhutan Birdlife Society.
Bird watching is considered to be the best in the month of April, the number of tourists also increases around this time of the year. Use of call playbacks is said to affect breeding habits and social behaviour of the birds.
According to the officials of the Royal Society for Protection of nature, Bhutan has been receiving hundreds of bird watchers and wildlife photographers from across the globe and from within the country. This, they say creates a sense of competitiveness to get better photographs. The RSPN said there is a need for bird watching protocols before it becomes a major issue.
Bhutan Birdlife Society said there are other alternatives birders can resort to.
“It is not necessary to use call playback. What we can do is give importance to the timing for bird watching. If we go out for bird watching in early mornings, there are high chances of seeing birds. If birders go out in late afternoons then it is difficult to encounter birds. Birders then opt for using call playbacks,” said Tshering Tobgay
As of today, there are no regulations that restrict an individual from using call playback for bird watching. But the Bhutan Birdlife Society said it is generally unethical for birders to use call playback. The RSPN and the Bhutan Birdlife society are creating awareness among the communities and advocating best practices.
Kinley Dem
