What is ‘Pishing’?
What is ‘Pishing’?
From https://www.thespruce.com: Pishing is a technique birders use in the field to get birds to come out more into the open in order to identify them. Catbirds are a good example of hidden birds as they are almost always within dense shrubs and often impossible to see. Pishing often draws them out to a more exposed perch – they are curious birds.
Pishing is an easy technique to master and many birders have sounds that work best for them in the field. Most of these sounds are made with the teeth together, sharply exhaling, and repeated three to five times in a slow, regular tempo. Changing the tempo or adding additional sounds to each pish sequence can also entice birds to respond. If you are in a group of birders, only one person should pish.
Common pish syllables include: pisssssshhhhh (rather drawn out), psst (short and staccato), sssssseeeep (drawn out), sip (short and staccato). Your tone should be a hoarse whisper. Kissing or lip-smacking noises, tongue clicks, and a rapid “chit-chit-chit” are pishing alternatives that can also get the attention of curious birds. And do not overdo – if you pish a few times and birds do not respond, they are not going to respond. Give up and try another day.
Making any small, repetitive noise to attract birds can be considered a type of pishing. While these noises are not bird sounds, there are several theories as to why birds will respond. The raspy, rough quality of a pish is similar to alarm or scolding calls from many small birds who are accustomed to mobbing together to chase away larger predators, therefore, pishing can attract a flock of small birds ready to chase an intruder. Another theory is that some higher-pitched or sharper pishes may resemble insect noises and thus attract feeding birds. Many birders also believe that some species of birds will investigate unknown noises.
Among some birders, pishing is controversial. Excessive pishing may disturb birds, drawing them away from their natural activities such as caring for young, foraging, or preening, and can thus negatively impact their behavior and survival. Pishing can also bring a bird out into the open where it is more easily noticed by a predator. If you are going to pish, use the following tips:
- 1. Avoid pishing in sensitive areas, such as near nesting sites or when a rare bird has been sighted. If recordings of bird calls are prohibited in an area, pishing may also be inappropriate.
- 2. Only pish until you have a view of the responsive bird, then cease any unnecessary noise and allow the bird to return to its natural activities.
- 3. Since not all birders agree with pishing, when birding in a group, keep pishing to a minimum or don’t do it at all, unless the group agrees that some pishing is acceptable.
- 4. Do not pish during official bird counts or surveys unless the technique is approved for the event.
Pishing is a quick, easy technique to learn that can help both new and experienced birders get better views of birds in the field. While pishing may not always be appropriate, knowing how to pish and when to use it can help birders identify and observe birds more easily.