Let’s face it, on the one hand no one wants to be the birding police, but on the other hand nothing is more annoying than watching a thoughtless birder get too close to a snoozing owl.  As birders, we ought to be respectful of the birds, the environment, and of each other.  Here we offer some guidelines for ethical and responsible birding.

If you witness unethical birding behavior, assess the situation, document egregious behavior,  and intervene if you think it prudent. There is a 24/7 dispatch line to the DEC Conservation officers for complaints at 1-877-457-5680.