[Tweeters] Bad use of eBird

[Jim Danzenbaker]

Hi All,

Interesting conversation and I appreciate the discussion.

Per current ebird protocol for endangered species being reported on ebird:

========================================================================
*How are Sensitive Species defined?*


eBird consults with our local partners worldwide in order to develop our list
of Sensitive Species
<https://support.ebird.org/en/support/solutions/articles/48000803210-sensitive-species-in-ebird#anchorSSList>.
Sensitive Species in eBird conform to these guidelines:

   -

   Sensitive Species are formally recommended by a partner or published
   source, and rationale for the listing is stored at eBird.
   -

   Sensitive Species in eBird are those for which demonstrable harm could
   occur from public display of site-level records, including (but not limited
   to): 1) targeted capture for the cage bird trade; 2) targeted hunting; 3)
   targeted disturbance of nests, roosts, or individual birds from
   birdwatchers or photographers. Species that are rare but are not under
   pressure from targeted human exploitation or disturbance generally are not
   considered Sensitive.
   -

   In many, but not all, cases, a Sensitive Species has formal listing as
   an Endangered or Threatened species either on a local priority list or by
   the IUCN (http://www.iucnredlist.org/).
   -

   Sensitive Species are implemented primarily at the global scale, but
   regional and seasonal treatments are applied in some cases.

========================================================================

Given this information, it appears that local knowledge is what will add a
locally (or globally) endangered species to the list of ebird sensitive
species in lieu of a published paper or listing by the IUCN.  Rachel,
sounds like your guide needs to notify eBird administrators (or local ebird
reviewers?) to get the species added to the list.

I was on an international birding trip in pre-p January of 2020 and we
recorded a species that, unbeknownst to me, was an endangered species.
When I returned home, I ebirded the entire trip.  Another birder who was
going to visit the same country asked me if I had seen the species and I
said yes and forwarded the ebird report to him.  He told me the species
wasn't on it which made me realize that the species was
e-bird sensitive and only I could see it (I looked at my ebird report and
it stated "sensitive" after the listed species).  The location where I
ebirded wasnt blurred though so anybody could see the location.

Keep your eyes and ears skyward!

Jim
Battle Ground, WA

   -




On Wed, May 25, 2022 at 9:40 PM Rachel Lawson <rwlawson5593 at outlook.com>
wrote:


> Thanks, Dave, I am glad to hear that eBird is working on this.  The system

> is not working for this bustard though.  We just looked at eBird reports

> from the place we saw the bustard, and there is a report from the very same

> spot for the following day.  It will all depend on how eBird defines a

> "sensitive species".  Though these bustards are now very scarce and under a

> lot of pressure, eBird is still making the reports public.  Unfortunately,

> more and more species are becoming vulnerable.  How can eBird deal with

> this and still be a resource for birders?

>

> Rachel Lawson

> Seattle

> rwlawson5593 at outlook.com

> ------------------------------

> *From:* Dave Slager <dave.slager at gmail.com>

> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 25, 2022 7:55 PM

> *To:* Rachel Lawson <rwlawson5593 at outlook.com>

> *Cc:* Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>

> *Subject:* Re: [Tweeters] Bad use of eBird

>

> Rachel,

>

> Depending on the species and location, this fortunately might not be true

> anymore.

>

> https://ebird.org/news/sensitive-species-in-ebird

> <https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Febird.org%2Fnews%2Fsensitive-species-in-ebird&data=05%7C01%7C%7Ca3cbe24eb99d4a5640ca08da3ec3265f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637891305133123619%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=uG8W4VfiuitfG%2Fl5Wz8z5JJW%2Fwfm26uqr9Q9Tr2WioQ%3D&reserved=0>

>

> Dave

>

> On Wed, May 25, 2022, 19:15 Rachel Lawson <rwlawson5593 at outlook.com>

> wrote:

>

> I just got back from a tour during which we saw a single bustard of a

> species that is vulnerable to extinction.  Our guide told us not to report

> this individual on eBird because Saudi Arabian falconers read the reports

> and, within days, will arrive and kill it.  What a terrible use of an

> otherwise excellent resource.

>

> Rachel Lawson

> Seattle

> rwlawson5593 at outlook.com

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-- 
Jim Danzenbaker
Battle Ground, WA
360-702-9395
jdanzenbaker at gmail.com
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