An introduction to bird photography – ethical considerations and how to avoid birds that swoop.
Many of us enjoy photographing birds, whatever our level of expertise. Birds can be engaging and intriguing creatures and we in Australia have some of the most spectacular and fascinating birds in the world in our backyards and within easy reach of major population centres.
People have long been attracted to birds, even common species like Silver Gulls, Pigeons and White Ibis. Fujifilm X-T3 camera with XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.9 R LM OIS lens at 200mm (300mm equivalent in 35mm format); ISO 800, 1/160 second at f/8; Aperture-priority AE with centre-weighted metering.
Each year (usually in October), the nation’s premier independent bird conservation organisation BirdLife Australia conducts the Aussie Bird Count asking people to list the birds they’ve seen within a 20 minute period, either their own backyard, a local park or beach or even a town centre. They also run seasonal Birds In Backyards surveys four times a year and publish the results nationwide. (See Chapter 3.)
Four graphics showing the results of the 2023 Aussie Bird Count. (Source: BirdLife Australia.)
They also run a special website for photographers with links to articles, video tutorials, news on competitions and conferences as well as a gallery of members’ images.
Ethical considerations
Around the world, birds are under threat from climate change and loss of habitat. Complicating matters is an increase in the number of bird photographers since the beginning of the 21st century, fuelled by more capable equipment and greater opportunities to travel to previously protected places.
As more photographers seek out close-up shots of birds, pressure is mounting on bird habitats, particularly those close to urban areas. If these areas are not protected the birds will disappear. Fujifilm X-T3 camera with Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 DiIII VC VXD lens at 500mm (750mm equivalent in 35mm format), ISO 320, 1/500 second at f/6.7.
These factors are having a cumulative impact and all photographers must take them into account. Some birds are particularly vulnerable, especially during their breeding seasons. Finding nesting sites and food for growing chicks can be highly competitive; predators abound and any injury or stress-induced illness can cause death, especially in young bird families.
Predators are often attracted by the presence of people so you need to act accordingly. Check out BirdLife Australia’s downloadable set of Ethical Birdwatching Guidelines at www.tinyurl.com/birdwatch-ethics for advice on safe behaviour – for you and the birds you want to photograph.
Be especially careful when birds are nesting. Don’t disturb birds in, at or near nests. This is so important that photographs of nests with eggs or chicks in them are not accepted for publication on any BirdLife Photography site, regardless of whether a parent bird is present and whether the birds seem comfortable having humans around.
Beach-nesting birds like this Pied Oystercatcher are extremely vulnerable to disturbance. The beach where this mother and her half-grown chicks were photographed is well signposted and off-limits to dogs during the breeding season. OM-D E-M1 II camera with M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f4.0 IS PRO lens at 100mm (200mm in 35mm equivalent), ISO 200, 1/250 second at f/5.6.
Signs posted at the entry point to the beach where the above photo was taken advising visitors about nesting birds.
Beach-nesting birds are particularly vulnerable to disturbance and predation so you should avoid visiting locations with nesting sites during the breeding season. All relevant regulations and local signs should be obeyed.
The same applies to the more than 70% of Australian bird species that use hollows for roosting, nesting or both. Some local councils and conservation bodies provide nesting boxes as substitutes where few natural hollows exist.
Many parrots, rosellas and lorikeets, like these Musk Lorikeets, nest in the hollows in old growth trees. Don’t intrude on their nesting sites, particularly if there’s a chance they may have eggs or chicks. Sony DSC-HX1 fixed-lens camera at 100mm focal length, ISO 1000, 1/160 second at f/5.2.
In general you should follow these guidelines:
– Don’t touch nests or young birds. Call WIRES or another similar organisation or contact a local vet if you find a fledgling that has fallen out of a nest.
– Don’t trample or otherwise damage vegetation around a bird’s resting or nesting place.
– Don’t startle birds. This can cause them to accidentally break or eject the eggs or nestlings from the nest.
– Stay clear of nesting areas during the breeding season in the early mornings, around dusk or during inclement weather. If the parents desert the nest the eggs or young will become cold and die.
– Don’t use a flash to photograph birds – especially when they are on or near a nest.
– Many local authorities put up signs during the breeding season warning people in the area to keep away.
Keep well clear of birds when they have chicks – and don’t use a flash when photographing them. Some birds, such as Swans, attack people who come too close to their chicks. Sony DSLR-A230 camera (vintage 2009) with DT 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 lens at 135mm (202mm equivalent in 35mm format), ISO 100, 1/100 second at f/5, Aperture-priority AE, multi-pattern metering.
Magpies and other swoopers
Most Australians are well aware of the Magpie swooping season between August and October when the birds defend their nests. During this period, the Magpies attack anything they consider to be a threat – not just humans.
Magpies often swoop on strangers during their breeding season – although they seldom trouble people they are familiar with and rarely swoop beyond about 100 metres of their nests. Nikon D7000 camera with 24-120mm f/4 lens at 120mm (180mm in 35mm format), ISO 200, 1/30 second at f/4, Program AE with centre-weighted metering.
Magpies are remarkably clever. They can remember the faces of people in their areas who are non-threatening and won’t attack these people. While they rarely swoop in Tasmania, those that swoop in other states only do so within about 100 metres of their nests, so they’re easily avoided by staying clear of known nesting areas.
If you can’t avoid being in an area where the local Magpies don’t know you during the breeding season, follow these guidelines:
1. Play it cool and keep low-key. If you act aggressively or shout, the Magpies will see you as a threat not just for the current year, but for up to five years to come.
2. Walk, don’t run, and avoid making eye contact with the birds.
3. Wear sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat – or carry an open umbrella above your head.
4. Travel in groups; swooping birds normally only target individuals.
5. Cyclists should walk their bikes through magpie territory or have a flag on the back of the bike that extends above their head.
6. Don’t feed swooping Magpies as it can encourage swooping behaviour.
Masked Lapwings (often called plovers) are another bird that regularly swoops on intruders during the breeding season. Because they nest on the ground (often in grassy woodlands, paddocks and playing fields), their chicks are particularly vulnerable. Avoid intruding on their territories during the breeding season between July and November.
Masked Lapwings nest on the ground, often in parks, school ovals, golf courses, sports fields and open paddocks. They are common across northern, eastern and southern Australia but absent from Western Australia. They only swoop during a three-week period when they have eggs or small chicks to care for. Sony ILCE-7M3 camera with Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD lens at 400mm, ISO 320, 1/500 second at f/11, Aperture-priority AE, centre-weighted metering.
Kookaburras are known to swoop down and steal food from picnickers at almost any time of year. But they can also attack perceived threats (including their reflections in windows) during the breeding season from September to January.
Red Wattlebirds can also swoop and snap their beaks if a person passes close to their nests during the breeding season from July to December. Noisy Miners and wattlebirds will also swoop to defend their territory all year round.
Powerful Owls defend their territory year-round and have been known to swoop during the breeding season between April and September. You won’t hear them coming due to their silent flight. With expanding populations of their main prey (possums), in built-up areas these owls are increasingly being recorded in suburban areas east of the Great Dividing Range, from south-eastern Queensland to Victoria.
The largest of Australia’s owls is the Powerful Owl, which lives in the moist forests of eastern Australia. Powerful Owls are known to defend their territory all year-round – and you won’t hear one coming if you trespass on its territory. Sony ILCE-9 camera with FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens at 197mm, ISO 800, 1/1000 second at f/2.8, Aperture-priority AE, centre-weighted metering.
Getting started
Bird photography presents a number of challenges. Your subjects can be highly mobile, flighty and fast-moving and they’re often found in out-of-the-way places. Decide which kinds of birds you want to photograph, where you’re most likely to find them and the kind of equipment that will give you the best results.
It’s not difficult to find and photograph common urban birds like White Ibis when they come to you in search of food scraps. Canon EOS-1D Mark IV camera with EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM lens at 102mm, ISO 3200, 1/160 second at f/6.3, Aperture-priority AE, multi-pattern metering.
Techniques and equipment needs vary for photographing birds in flight and when taking close-ups from a hide. Photo Review’s Bird Photography pocket guide outlines the best camera settings to use in different situations and for obtaining different kinds of shots. It also covers autofocusing and drive modes, how to record backlit subjects and subjects in contrasty lighting, and how far you can push ISO settings when working in dim lighting and/or with slow telephoto lenses.
This article by Margaret Brown is an excerpt from Bird Photography pocket guide – click here to order print or ebook edition.
Pocket guide Partner: Camera House