The BirdJam...
What’s a BirdJam?
BirdJam (originally called BirdPod) is “the essential bird identification tool for the extremely easy-to-use Apple iPod and the new Apple iPhone.” Here’s the website: view link
It’s basically an MP3 player with all the songs and calls from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs CDs loaded onto it. Within seconds, using preconfigured playlists organized alphabetically, taxonomically, by habitat, by bird family, and more, you can find -- and play back through speakers or earphones -- the song/call and other sounds of pretty much any North American bird. Oh, and there are cute little photos of all the birds, too. At home, in the car, in the classroom, in the field, you’re a few seconds away from hearing your choice of birdsong.
Wow! Birders used to have to lug analog tape recorders, boom boxes and other heavy stuff into the field. We’d be lucky to have a few calls on tap, and accessing them was a laborious exercise. Ever go owling on a frigid winter morning and struggle with a tape deck? Ever conduct a marsh bird survey using a government-issue sound projection device the size of a dishwasher? I have! Zillions of times! And likewise, I’ve struggled with tapes, CDs and Internet websites to access specific bird songs for teaching/learning purposes.
You better believe I own a BirdJam setup today.
Like atomic energy
I liken the BirdJam to atomic energy in that it can be used for good or ill -- but there are problematic side effects in many situations regardless. With atomic energy, we can make electric power or bombs, but either way we have a certain amount of radioactive waste to contend with. When using BirdJam to play birdsongs back to the birds in the field, we can harass and even harm birds or we can appreciate them ethically and discretely. Either way we are impacting their behavior.
As you might imagine there is a great deal of controversy in the birding community around the use of “playback” to see birds. Probably since the earliest days of our species (and maybe before!) humans have used “pishing,” whistling and other sounds to bring birds and other critters closer. Whatever device you’re using -- whether it’s a BirdJam, a kazoo or your lips -- what happens when you use sound to attract birds is very situation-dependent, so use common sense!
Remember always that birds have enough to worry about without wasting energy dealing with birders. Here’s some of what the BirdJam folks say on their ethics page:
“Imagine if someone kept ringing your doorbell, and you went to answer it and there was no one there. After a while you might start to ignore the bell, and that would be lamentable if it was Ed McMahon with a huge check, or disastrous if it was the fire department telling you the house is on fire.”
Whatever the situation, always play the songs as little as possible. My rule is: 2 song repetitions max in the early breeding season; NO use of playback on actively breeding birds; 4 song repetitions if the bird involved is not a breeding bird. After that, bow to the bird and move on. NEVER overdo it.
Patience and birding skills are vitally important. Stop the playback and scan and listen after each repetition. Many birds don’t jump right out and start chirping. Instead, they may stealthily advance or even circle around behind you. Do everything possible to see the bird without creating further disturbance.
No matter what the temptation NEVER use playback when it might pull birds off their nests and leave eggs and young vulnerable to predation, parasitization by cowbirds, heat or cold, etc. Conversely, birds are much less likely to respond vigorously to playback of their songs if they’re not defending territories, but it’s sometimes worth a try.
There are lots of subtleties to learn and decide about in the use of a tool as powerful as BirdJam. To reiterate: let common sense and respect for the birds and fellow birders dictate your choices.
No shortcuts
Now back to the technology. BirdJam has two product options depending on your needs. If you don’t already have an MP3 player or if you want a dedicated device for birding (which makes a lot of sense in my opinion, having once seen trip participants get snarky when a fellow professional guide blasted out a tune from Saturday Night Fever instead of the call of the Northern Pygmy-Owl) you can just order a fully-loaded BirdJam -- nothing could be easier.
Or, if you already have an iPod or other MP3 player and the Stokes CDs, you can use BirdJam Maker to load the BirdJam playlists onto it, alongside whatever’s on there already.
Could you just buy the Stokes CDs and load them onto your MP3 player yourself, without BirdJam Maker? Sure -- but the result wouldn’t be nearly as useful as BirdJam because it wouldn’t be properly organized and edited. That effort would take weeks! Not recommended given the very reasonable cost of the BirdJam.
In fact, when you add the prices up, BirdJam is a heck of a value -- every component, including the iPod, is significantly discounted. The total package is spectacularly worth the cost. They even offer free upgrades and new capabilities all the time. These folks are pretty terrific! In fact, they donate more than 5% of their profits to bird conservation.
Here are some more links of potential interest:
* Here’s a link to a Stokes Birding Blog piece on the BirdJam: view link
* Here’s BirdWatcher's Digest May 2008 PodCast Episode #14, birdJam: The Revolution in Bird Identification! view link
Peace and good birding,
Scott Cronenweth
Eons birding mentor
www.naturalpathwalks.com
