Chicago Ornithological Society Social Media Policy on Sensitive Species (Updated June 1, 2024)

The Chicago Ornithological Society will remove all media (photos, video, audio, etc.) of sensitive species (as defined in this policy) and any post disclosing the location of sensitive species from its social media platforms. This policy applies to posts by members on our Facebook group and comments on our Facebook page, Instagram, Twitter, and all other social media pages where COS is present. Repeated violations will result in the offender being blocked from interacting with or viewing COS content and online communities.

As defined by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a “sensitive species” is one where “demonstrable harm could occur from public display of site-level records, including (but not limited to): 1) targeted capture for the cage bird trade; 2) targeted hunting; 3) targeted disturbance of nests, roosts, or individual birds from birdwatchers or photographers.” 

There are ethical ways to observe and photograph sensitive species, but we cannot ensure every photo posted to our social media sites was taken according to those guidelines. We believe it is our responsibility as a conservation organization to take this measure to protect bird populations, as many other birding organizations have done.

Owls

Owls are a particularly thrilling experience for many birdwatchers. Naturally we want to share our photos and experiences with others. Unfortunately, social media posts of this group of birds in particular can and do compromise the safety and well-being of owls. The temptation is too high for many people to get too close to an owl for a great photograph and social media post. Thus, to discourage unethical observation and photography, we will be removing photos of owls and posts of their locations from our social media feeds during the critical winter roosting and nesting seasons (November 1 - April 15).

Large numbers of human visitors and photographers getting too close pose risks to owls, including:

• Owls fleeing their roost, leading to increased chance of collisions with vehicles, wires, or other nearby hazards.

• Exposing them to other wildlife, making them vulnerable to harassment and predation.

• Disruption to hunting and forced relocation, reducing proximity to critical food sources.

• Temporary blinding from flash photography, which can lead to harm.

Does this mean you should never see owls? Of course not, but we must do it respectfully. Here are a few basic rules, but not an exhaustive list:

• Keep your distance, far enough the owl will not notice you. Use scopes, binoculars and telescopic lenses.

• Do not use flash photography.

• Do not flush the owl or use baiting or calls to draw them out.

• Keep quiet and do not disturb owl hunting areas, roosts, and nests.

• Do not disclose location details on social media or photo sharing sites. Although we all like to see owls, having too many repeated human visitors can disturb and frighten the birds. Consider yourself lucky if you spot one!

Not everyone in our community may be aware of the risks posed to owls due to repeated disturbance by observers and photographers. So we hope that this decision will help educate everyone of these risks, as well as how to observe and photograph owls ethically. We encourage you to spread the word!

Great Lakes Piping Plovers

Piping Plover. Montrose Beach, April 20, 2022. Photo by Katharine Spencer

Illinois is fortunate to be home to nesting Great Lakes Piping Plovers, an endangered species. While the locations of Great Lakes Piping Plovers are well known, individuals nesting in Illinois do so in areas that are already high-stress and rife with human interaction. To discourage harassment of the birds and their volunteer monitors by overeager photographers and other beach visitors, we will be removing photos of, and posts disclosing the exact location of, Illinois Piping Plover nests, nesting parents, mating parents, eggs, and chicks, effective from the arrival of the plovers to Illinois in the spring, through the fledging of the chicks in the summer (generally May through July, but specific dates will vary depending on the nesting season). While photographs of the adults off the nest are allowed, we will ask confirmation from the photographer that they did not enter the protected plover habitat to take the photo, and that the photo was taken at a respectful distance so as to not alter the plover's behavior or interfere with their rest and/or feeding.

Other Sensitive Species

In addition to owls, the Chicago region is home to other  sensitive species that are susceptible to disturbance by human behavior. The following species will also be covered under this policy for the included time frames:

• Black Rail (April 15 - August 31)

• Gyrfalcon (November 1 - March 31)

• King Rail (April 15 - August 31)

• Swainson’s Warbler (April 15 - August 31)

This list is subject to regular evaluation and new species may be added at any time to reflect the needs of birds in an ever evolving ecological and birding landscape. COS reserves the right to censor any media and posts about any species or individuals whose circumstances make them uniquely vulnerable to human activity. Note that social media posts of sensitive species in neighboring states and regions will also fall under this policy. If you are unsure whether your post is appropriate, please contact us at chicagobirder@gmail.com before posting.

We recommend the following resources on ethical birding and sensitive species:

1) Respecting Owls: Ethical Owl Viewing and Photography – Chicago Audubon

2) ABA Code of Birding Ethics – American Birding Association

3) Sensitive Species in eBird – Cornell Lab of Ornithology

4) Why Closer is Not Always Better When Photographing Birds - Audubon.org

Thank you to our community for putting the safety and concern for birds first!