{"id":14533,"date":"2014-03-09T04:28:58","date_gmt":"2014-03-09T10:28:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=14533"},"modified":"2025-07-19T14:34:29","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T19:34:29","slug":"ethics-for-nests-and-chicks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/03\/09\/ethics-for-nests-and-chicks\/","title":{"rendered":"Ethics for Nests and Chicks"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"RestingResting American Oystercatcher juvenile – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1\/1000, ISO 250, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Spring is just around the corner and before long birds will be building nests, mating, laying eggs and chicks will hatch.<\/p>\n

Fluffy little chick images often circulate around the internet in larger numbers than other seasons and get shared on social media sites along with hundreds of “likes”, ohs and ahs.<\/p>\n

I must admit that there are times when I see images that appear to have been taken too close or with a short focal length lens that I shudder because I know that the chicks may have been at risk.<\/p>\n

For me as a bird photographer it is a time when I am even more aware than normal\u00a0of the ethics regarding nesting birds and chicks.<\/p>\n

Recent discussions about ethics on the ABA blog, ABA Facebook page\u00a0and\u00a0news articles about the harassment of\u00a0nests of endangered species<\/a><\/span> I thought it wouldn’t hurt to post some of the ethics about photographing nests and chicks.<\/p>\n

One of the most important things to remember is that an image is never<\/span> as important as the safety and well being of the subject.<\/p>\n

Do not approach too closely<\/strong><\/p>\n

Approaching to closely stresses the adults, could force them to abandon their eggs or\u00a0be off the eggs\/chicks too long. For instance, I would never approach a Bald Eagle nest and do close ups of them with a 55mm lens<\/span><\/a> because it is too close and puts the chicks at risk. But one professional bird photographer did just that with his entire workshop group. See the link.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

I will stay much further away from chicks to get images and make bigger crops to show those chicks in the frame. The photo above of the oystercatcher chick is only 47% of the original image, I cropped it to make the chick appear larger in the frame. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

If the birds show any sign of distress, back away<\/strong><\/p>\n

If the birds are distressed they are not doing what they should naturally be doing and they are expending valuable energy that they need to raise their chicks.<\/em><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t trim leaves, twigs or branches to get a clearer shot, you may inadvertently attract predators or cause the eggs\/chicks to over heat<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adult birds build their nests where they do because they want to protect the nests and chicks from heat, cold and predators and while trimming away leaves might give a photographer a “better shot” it can also put the chicks at risk of overheating and predation. Not only can, but will.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Follow local, state and federal guidelines concerning nesting birds<\/strong><\/p>\n

The local, state and federal guidelines are different for some birds. For instance, there are federal buffer zones for some endangered species of 500 feet and being closer can upset and endanger the chicks if approached closer than that and could cause a person to be fined or placed in custody. If there is a sign near a nesting area they are usually placed at or near the minimum distance that the nesting area should be approached often there will be a roped boundary. Some folks think that doesn’t apply to them but it does unless they officially have permission to go beyond the boundary.<\/em><\/p>\n

Research\u00a0local, state and federal guidelines if you are unsure of those boundaries.<\/em><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t harass the birds to get an action shot<\/strong><\/p>\n

Raising young takes energy and they need every bit of energy that they have to successfully rear those young. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t stay a long time near a location with nesting birds or chicks, that disrupts their normal behavior<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chicks need to be fed often and our presence nearby might delay those feedings. They might also need to be sheltered from the sun and the adults might not come into the nest to shade the chicks or if they weather is chilly to brood them and keep them warm. <\/em><\/p>\n

I feel that as a bird photographer I need to care for my subjects every time I am in the field and that is amplified when there are young, defenseless chicks.<\/p>\n

In my opinion there will never be an image that is more important than the health, safety and well being of my subjects and that the\u00a0young birds\u00a0we protect today are the subjects of the future.<\/p>\n

Sad as it might be some of the chicks in those cute images shared on social media may have died because of the photos that were taken and the chicks were placed at risk. That is just plain wrong.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

For more information on the ethics of photographing nesting birds or chicks please have a look at the Principles of Birding Ethics<\/a><\/span> published by the American Birding Association.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my American Oystercatcher photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I feel that as a bird photographer I need to care for my subjects every time I am in the field and that is amplified when there are young, defenseless chicks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":150510,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,27,25,704,943,945,2162],"tags":[3974,4021,949,4077,22,4067,4071,710,5988,3816],"class_list":["post-14533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-oystercatchers","category-avian","category-florida","category-fort-de-soto-county-park","category-harassment","category-nesting-birds","category-wildlife-ethics-wildlife-ethics","tag-american-oystercatcher","tag-bird-photography","tag-field-ethics","tag-gulf-of-mexico","tag-haematopus-palliatus","tag-immature","tag-juvenile","tag-nesting-ethics","tag-oystercatcher","tag-oystercatchers"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/american-oystercatcher-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-5401.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-3Mp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5283,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/07\/04\/three-and-a-half-months-with-a-young-american-oystercatcher\/","url_meta":{"origin":14533,"position":0},"title":"Three And A Half Months With A Young American Oystercatcher","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 4, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"In 2008 I had the great pleasure of observing and photographing a family of American Oystercatchers from the day after the chicks hatched until three and a half months later.","rel":"","context":"In "American Oystercatchers"","block_context":{"text":"American Oystercatchers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-oystercatchers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Thirteen day old American Oystercatcher chick on the sands of Fort De Soto County Park in Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/american-oystercatcher-chick-mia-mcpherson-4131.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/american-oystercatcher-chick-mia-mcpherson-4131.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/american-oystercatcher-chick-mia-mcpherson-4131.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/american-oystercatcher-chick-mia-mcpherson-4131.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":142,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2010\/08\/14\/nesting-american-oystercatchers\/","url_meta":{"origin":14533,"position":1},"title":"Nesting American Oystercatchers","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 14, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Nesting American Oystercatchers create simple scrapes on coastal beaches, dunes and salt marshes to lay their eggs in. 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But they need respect and they need space so we don't endanger them.","rel":"","context":"In "American Oystercatchers"","block_context":{"text":"American Oystercatchers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-oystercatchers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tiny American Oystercatcher chick, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/american-oystercatcher-chick-mia-mcpherson-4123.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/american-oystercatcher-chick-mia-mcpherson-4123.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/american-oystercatcher-chick-mia-mcpherson-4123.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/american-oystercatcher-chick-mia-mcpherson-4123.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45738,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/03\/24\/spring-means-nesting-birds-and-chicks-please-give-them-space\/","url_meta":{"origin":14533,"position":3},"title":"Spring Means Nesting Birds and Chicks – Please Give Them Space","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 24, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Spring means birds are getting ready to find mates, breed, nesting and raising their young.","rel":"","context":"In "American Coots"","block_context":{"text":"American Coots","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gruiformes\/american-coots\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Nesting American Coot at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/american-coot-nest-mia-mcpherson-3083.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/american-coot-nest-mia-mcpherson-3083.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/american-coot-nest-mia-mcpherson-3083.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/american-coot-nest-mia-mcpherson-3083.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10000,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/10\/27\/adult-and-juvenile-american-oystercatchers-feeding-side-by-side\/","url_meta":{"origin":14533,"position":4},"title":"Adult And Juvenile American Oystercatchers Feeding Side By Side","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 27, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"In 2008 I spent several months during the summer watching an American Oystercatcher family from the time the chicks were tiny until one of the chicks became independent.","rel":"","context":"In "American Oystercatchers"","block_context":{"text":"American Oystercatchers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-oystercatchers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult and juvenile American Oystercatchers at Fort De Soto, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatchers-mia-mcpherson-8466.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatchers-mia-mcpherson-8466.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatchers-mia-mcpherson-8466.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatchers-mia-mcpherson-8466.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2497,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2011\/06\/14\/american-oystercatchers\/","url_meta":{"origin":14533,"position":5},"title":"American Oystercatchers","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 14, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"American Oystercatchers are fascinating birds to photograph, They can strike unusual poses and their plumage is spectacular in flight. 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