Here’s a very interesting post taken from Birdchat, the North American email listserver, posted by Al Schirmacher. It may use North American species as examples, but the principles are still the same anywhere in the world. Have a read and let me know whether you agree with this or not... I think the last paragraph hits the nail perfectly on the head! “SSI: The Birder Affliction I fight a disease in my birding: Single Source Identification Let me explain: When I started, I relied on color. Such got me in trouble, such as when I mixed up Fox Sparrows with Wood Thrushes (in, of all timeframes, March; embarrassing). Then I transitioned to single significant characteristic ID. This was a bit better, but still unreliable. For example, more than Stilt Sandpipers eat with a sewing machine motion. Then, subtly thinking I’d really arrived, I learned (and am still learning) vocalizations. Others thought this was pretty cool. And it is, unless you’re separating Yellow & Chestnut-sided Warblers (doctoral theses have been written on the similarities and differences), especially with aberrant American Redstarts contributing in the background. Or Baltimore Orioles, which have far more geographic song variance than anticipated. Or the Alder/Willow/Empid complex. Or…. I still fight the malady. It easily pops out of remission to bite me in the field. Frequently. Because it works…just not all the time. I suspect I’m not the only one battling the disease. Photography is a big SSI mutation. Take a photo, ensure an ID. If I can’t find it, an expert will. Or smart phone applications. Narrow the song down, pick the one that’s closest, voila. Almost did this today, turning an alternate Parula vocalization into a Cerulean. Unsuccessfully. Or even our favorite field guide (only my Sibley shows significant wear, oops). Or even jizz, a bird’s total characteristics, often seen during an instant of time. Better, but only if we completely understand a bird’s characteristics and behavior; who among us would claim to do so for our entire area bird population? Here’s the reality. Colors are subject to interpretation. Single characteristics are shared by many birds. Vocalizations can be remarkably similar, even in disparate species. Photography is subject to single image affliction, angle, lighting, quality of equipment, lack of three dimensionality, inability to measure size unless other single size objects are close by…. Smart phone apps often don’t carry enough alternate vocalizations to ensure total accuracy. Field guides are only as good as their authors, photographers and illustrators. And jizz is remarkably subject to our own perceptions and training. The antibiotic? There are two: Pluralistic thinking, and humility. We need as many tools in operation as possible – particularly those we’ve grown strong with over study and time – not allowing a single source to carry the day. And we need to say, “I don’t know”, or “perhaps”, or “probably”, when certainty is no more than charismatic arrogance.”
Posted on: Thu, 29 May 2014 05:29:10 +0000
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