Date: 3/8/25 12:27 am From: Jim Dehnert via groups.io <dehnert...> Subject: [southbaybirds] [ADMIN] Please don't post nest locations
Hi all,
We're approaching that exciting time of year when our summer birds start mating and nesting. With that in mind, I want to remind everyone of our policy on nest reporting.
Every SBB post has this note in its trailer:
*Do not disclose information that identifies the location of nesting birds of any species, to minimize stress on the nesting birds and the risk of vandalism or abuse.*
Don't post nest locations. We don't allow it on this list (the only specific rule that we put in the trailer of every post), nor on the Silicon Valley Birding Facebook group. The only nest mentions we allow might be in a post about a large-area hotspot with no further detail. Never a location description or photo of a specific tree.
If you recognize the existence of a nest, do not disclose its location: either do not mention nesting, or avoid any information that might identify its location. We need everyone to take this seriously. Postings on this list have been the cause of harassment of birds and we want to minimize the risk of that happening in the future.
*The long version:*
Birds are very susceptible to disturbance when nesting. Even simple disturbance can cause nest failure, and vandals can and do go beyond that. Raptors are subject to more serious challenges. There are people who attempt to collect bird eggs (or young) to raise them for falconry or pets. Modern technology has exacerbated the problem: cell phones with good cameras are ubiquitous and lead non-birders to get very close for a good picture, and drones are used to harass nesting birds that would not otherwise be accessible. As birders, we should do our best to avoid enabling those actions.
There's a more subtle problem that isn't immediately obvious. Some species, for instance corvids (jays, crows, etc.) have been shown to observe human attention at a nest site and visit the site later to prey on the eggs or young.
There are cases where a nest is notorious (like the Pale Male Red-tailed Hawk on Central Park) or thoroughly inaccessible (perhaps at the top of a high-tension electrical tower), and it seems that another post can't matter. But there aren't many such cases. Even if you know lots of birders who are aware of a nesting bird, or everyone at a school knows that they are hosting a cool hawk/eagle nest, that doesn't mean that "everyone" knows. Your post could be the one noticed by an unethical falconer. And simply deleting it after posting (as we do) may not eliminate the damage -- there are other sites that pick up our posts and repeat them, and we don't have the ability (or time) to chase them down.
So please, never post nest locations or photos on this list, especially raptor nest sites or those of threatened birds.
As for off-list behavior, there's no clear ethical problem with sharing your information with other birders you know and trust on private channels, as long as you also pass on the prohibition. If you see a non-specific post by someone you know, you can ask them privately for specifics, understanding that they may refuse. Please just don't advertise it publicly. There's no upside except perhaps to your ego, and it is potentially disastrous for the birds.
Do not disclose information that identifies the location of nesting birds of any species, to minimize stress on the nesting birds and the risk of vandalism or abuse.
