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We ask all Atlasers to be mindful of their impact on birds, habitats, and people. We expect all participants to follow the American Birding Association’s Code of Birding Ethics (available for download and summarized below) and our code of ethics. If you are a photographer, please also follow the Audubon’s Guide to Ethical Bird Photography. The birds thank you!
*Special COVID-19 Notice: Please bird responsibly.
NC Bird Atlas Guidelines
The NC Bird Atlas team is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, color, national origin, age, disability (physical or mental), sexual orientation, gender identity, parental status, marital status, and political affiliation as well as gender expression, mental illness, socioeconomic status or background, neuro(a)typicality, or physical appearance. We are united by an appreciation for the natural world, and we celebrate our unique differences.
- Be supportive: We all must be supportive, both proactively and responsively, of other birdwatchers and Atlasers. If you see someone struggling or otherwise in need of assistance you should offer to help (taking care not to be patronizing or disrespectful). If someone approaches you looking for help, be generous with your time; if you’re time limited, let them know when you will be able to help or direct them to someone else who may be of assistance.
- Be inclusive: We want to build an environment free of cliques, so go out of your way to include a diversity of people (cultural, racial and birding skills) in team development and communications. Avoid slang or idioms that might not translate across cultures or be deliberate in explaining them to share our diverse cultures and languages. Speak plainly and avoid acronyms and jargon that not everyone may understand.
- Be collaborative: Involve other Atlasers in tricky identifications, bird calls, anecdotes, and the like. It’s part of our values to share early and ask for feedback often. Don’t succumb to either impostor syndrome (believing that you don’t deserve to be here) or the Dunning-Kruger Effect (believing you can do no wrong).
- Be generous in both giving and accepting feedback: Feedback is a natural and important part of our culture. Good feedback is kind, respectful, clear, and constructive, and focused on goals and values rather than personal preferences. You are expected to give and receive feedback with gratitude and a growth mindset.
- Be kind: Be polite and friendly in all forms of communication. Avoid sarcasm. Tone is hard to decipher online; make liberal use of emoji, GIFs and Bitmoji to aid in communication. Use video hangouts when it makes sense; face-to-face discussion benefits from all kinds of social cues that may go missing in other forms of communication.
We are grateful for Buffer for their insightful and thorough code of conduct for inspiration.
Summary of American Birding Association Code of Ethics
Birdwatching is a growing hobby and with the increase in birders comes an increase in the potential for disturbing birds, habitats, and people. In addition to the following guidelines, the American Birding Association’s Code of Birding Ethics also provides guidance for birders.
Respect for Birds: Avoid causing unnecessary disturbance to birds.
- Watch for changes in posture and behavior that indicate the bird is stressed (e.g., standing erect, making alarm calls, freezing in place, crouching). If you notice such changes, back away and consider standing behind a bush or tree to conceal your presence. This will not only help reduce the stress on the birds, but also allow you to better observe breeding behaviors.
- Don’t approach nests; there is no need to confirm breeding by seeing the actual nest. You can use other behavior codes to confirm nesting.
- Refrain from using playbacks.
Respect for Habitat: Minimize your impact on habitats.
- Stay on trails where they exist and avoid trampling sensitive vegetation.
- Be particularly mindful near nests as trampling make nests more visible and your scent and footprints could lead predators to the site.
- Follow the 7 leave-no-trace principles.
Respect for People: Respect private and public property.
- Follow laws and regulations.
- Gain permission to access private land.
- Keep noise to a minimum particularly early in the morning and at night.
- Do not block rights-of-way and always leave gates as you found them.
Photography
We ask photographers to follow Audubon’s Guide to Ethical Bird Photography.
- Use a telephoto lens and refrain from using flash.
- Do not use drones, which are very disruptive to birds.
- Do not lure birds with bait.
- Do not move or cut vegetation.
- At beach locations, do not position yourself between the nest and the water.
Safety
Please be safe when in the field. Your safety is more important than a bird survey. Any time you are out in the field it pays to be alert, be prepared, and use common sense.