User:Rhododendrites/birdalerts

Rare bird alerts are notification systems for birders to learn about rare species of birds seen in a particular area.

Birders are known for keeping track of bird species they have seen, and sharing information with each other about the locations of unusual birds. The first bird alerts were phone hotlines where people could report or listen to other people's reports of regional sightings. The internet and smartphones made it possible

Phone lines
The Audubon Society and Linnaean Society co-sponsored a rare bird alerts phone line in New York City starting around 1970, inspired by a system that started in Boston in the late 1960s. The hotline, called the Metropolitan Rare Bird Alert System, allowed birders to call in to hear a recording listing rare species seen in the area, including detailed directions of how to find them. As of 1973, when the New York Times wrote about it, it received about 500 calls per week.

Internet
The internet has made it easier to share sightings and track what species other people have seen, and whereas the phone systems were updated only a once or a few times per week, social media in particular makes it easy to share sightings instantly and with a large audience. In a densely populated place like New York City, this can result in a large crowd of people flocking to see a rare bird. Platforms like Twitter have been used to share sightings using hashtags since at least 2011. The practice both popular and controversial.

Controversy
Proponents of bird alerts appreciate the opportunity to see a rare bird and argue that it promotes greater appreciation of birds and nature in general among the public. Opponents argue the crowds are harmful, both because of the number of people and because the publicity draws not just ethical birders but members of the public who may not prioritize the well-being of the bird over their own curiosity or desire for photos. Organizations like New York City Audubon specifically criticize sharing information about sensitive birds such as owls, which rest during the day and hunt at night. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology maintains rare bird alerts for each of the New York City counties which are delivered by email on a daily or hourly basis, but restricts some information about sensitive species and the audience is not as broad as social media platforms provide.

The New York Times characterized the issue as "a vigorous debate ... roiling the city's birding community". It highlighted a set of Twitter accounts run by birder David Barrett, Manhattan Bird Alert and its counterparts for other boroughs, which have tens of thousands of followers. Barrett aims to "make everyone's birding more effective" and draw people to a new hobby, while critics like Ken Chaya of the Linnaean Society of New York talk of "a fine line between sharing information about a sensitive bird and creating a flash mob".