Birds, and Dogs

[tmanson]

Hi all: Just read an interesting piece on Tweeters by Devorah Bennu, who is a scientist, and writes a birding blog that is reproduced on the above listserve.
Specifically, it is about the affects walking a dog, in wild areas, has on the avian wildlife.
I have a dog, ( or, maybe, more specifically, my wife does ). We have several walking routes around Hope, one of which is the Sucker Creek Trail. It is not exactly a wild location, but is part of the Fraser Valley Regional District Parks system, and is part of the Trans Canada Trail. Nevertheless, I often wonder what affect walking our dog through this area has on the local birds. Many other folks walk their dogs here, too.
For those other dog owners, who are also birders, you may be interested in reading the synopis of her study.
I am enclosing the urrl address for the report. If it does not work on this listserve, you can always google Tweeters, and read it there. Interesting report for dog owners, as well as those who have the responsibility of planning for the use of publically accessible wild areas. Cheers, Thor sciencebogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/03/dog_walking_harms_wild_birds.php.

Thor Manson
Hope, B.C.

[Gord]

Thor, I think this link will work.

scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/03/dog_walking_harms_wild_birds.php

Interesting paper. I see there is plenty of concern expressed by dog owners about it. I dont own a dog and thus am a little biased. However, I have noticed that dogs do impact birds a little more than people do. Ill be watching birds at Island 22 until a dog comes by and they do move away further and look more disturbed. But they do seem to settle down quickly unless the disturbance is repeated several times and then that area will become a quiet area.

People do disturb and cannot say their disturbance is zero. Might be lower than a dog, but disturbance all the same. As to the comment about wild predators such as wolves, foxes, bobcats etc that must disturb as well, well the answer to me is simple. All those predators are low in numbers. How often do you see these animals walking by? It's nature's balance (pyramid of numbers) where predators are much much fewer than prey species. I might see a coyote once in a week go by. The birds scold and move away until the threat is gone. However, I can see 30 dogs go by in 30 minutes. Another example of human's impact that sways the balance.

This is why it is very important to leash dogs, remain on trails and to ensure that protected areas have a large area that is inaccessible to people and dogs alike. I dont think it is feasible to remove people, or their dogs, even if it would mean the birds are not disturbed. If people cannot see and be exposed to birds and nature they will not care when things are proposed that will destroy their habitat. A rock and a hardplace in a sense.

I hope no dog owners are offended. All dog owning birdwatchers I know are very sensitive to the birds and I feel their impact is minimal over the large dog running off-leash through the bush in bird habitat.