Photo: Great Horned Owlets, Tom Muehleisen/Audubon Photography Awards
Kent Blumberg
It’s the time of year when more of us are spending time outdoors, watching and photographing birds. It’s also a good time to review the principles of ethical birding.
First, we want to protect the birds. They live on tight energy budgets, especially when migrating and nesting. Any energy spent responding to us is energy they can’t use for survival. Second, birds and the environment are shared resources that we want to protect for the future. And third, birding itself is a shared experience, and birding ethics serve as a social contract to keep it enjoyable for all.
In short, birding ethics protect the birds, preserve the experience, and sustain the community.
Here are six principles to keep in mind as you enjoy the birds in northern Virginia.
First, do no harm to birds, other wildlife or the environment. Prioritize their needs over yours. If their behavior indicates stress, back away. Avoid flash, especially with nocturnal birds, as it may harm their night vision.
Stay in your lane. Keep your distance from birds, using binoculars, scopes, or telephoto lenses to get closer, rather than your feet. Stay on marked trails, or on boardwalks. Keep away from nests. Don’t use drones to capture photos or videos of birds, especially near nesting sites.
Be polite and considerate of others. Nurture the shared experience. At Huntley Meadows, don’t take up the entire boardwalk with your gear but leave a clear path for others to pass. If you spot a rare bird or a particularly good view of a bird, take your photos and then step aside so others can enjoy it as well. Balance your needs with the needs of others and help create space for everyone.
Don’t manipulate birds to get the photos you want. Avoid flushing them repeatedly, baiting them or playing recorded bird calls to attract them. Don’t approach birds to force them to fly.
Respect private property and follow all restrictions on public lands.
Lead by example. When you share photos and videos of birds, include how you captured the images ethically. Modeling ethical behavior can help others learn.
Most of the time, we’ll never see the results of the choices we make in the field. The bird that stays instead of flushing, the nest that remains undisturbed, the moment that unfolds naturally because we chose patience over proximity.
That quiet impact is at the heart of birding ethics and it’s also what makes birding meaningful. We head out because we’re drawn to something: beauty, curiosity, a sense of connection to the natural world. When we give birds space and put their needs first, we protect that connection.
In doing so, we often gain something better than a closer look or a sharper photo: an encounter that feels authentic. One that wasn’t taken but offered.
To learn more, check out Audubon’s Guide to Ethical Bird Photography and Videography.
Kent Blumberg is an MBA professor, passionate bird photographer and voracious reader.