"pishing" and "squeaking" (1 Viewer)

[Surreybirder]

In another thread I posted the following:

Squeaking is a technique developed by American birders. You kiss the back of your hand noisily whilst drawing in your breath--and hope that no one is watching. Some people are amazingly effective with it. One of my friends has called in a little owl using it. For those who are too embarrassed to try it, an alternative that I learned in New Zealand is to wipe a bit of polystyrene on a wetted (i.e. spat upon) bit of glass. I've had excellent results with that!

It made me wonder what other birders' experience of pishing and squeaking is:

• What is your technique?
• What birds have responded?
• Any unexpected results?
  [/list=A]
  
  I have described my 'squeaking' technique above. My friend who is better at it than me creates a much higher pitched sound that has eluded me.
  When I tried the NZ method, it attracted several birds that I've not got by my usual method. It also made several horses in a nearby field sit up and take notice!
  On one occasion I attracted quite a few tits when a sparrowhawk suddenly flew in, presumably attracted by the chance of a quick meal. I don't think he was successful though.
  An article in British Birds magazine some years ago said that it was best to stand still and in shade when pishing. That is probably valid although I have managed to get birds to show when I've been standing in full sunlight.

 

[IanF]

Good subject for a thread.

I've tried 'pishing' and had some success at bringing birds a bit closer, but it seldom seems to work or once they have come closer they don't hang around for long.

Nowadays I tend to use an Audubon Bird Call which seems to work a treat for many bird species, once you've had a bit of practice and don't use it too excessively. Just a few gentle squeaks, wait thirty seconds and the birds come to investigate. Some it seems to chase, but many it attracts. I particularly find it useful when digiscoping as long as the birds aren't too far away, as once the camera is lined up a couple of squeaks usually gets the birds attention to firstly stay still and secondly look in my direction - particularly effective with Kestrel and Sparrowhawk.

I have found it successful in bringing birds closer for such species as Blackcap, Warblers, Robin, Chaffinch, Yellowhammer and particularly Whitethroat which seem to love the sound.

I recall that Fieldfare and Redwing hated it last Spring as they used to fly off at the first squeak.

 

[Mark D]

Oops!

try again,

Hi,

I have used pishing in the past but not very successfully. I find it works on younger birds at this time of year, but rarely on adults in spring. However it worked a treat on a locally rare Reed Warbler last year.
I am unable to make the squeaking noise with my hand, but I know it's very good at attracting Weasels and Stoats.

Mark

 

[marcus]

I've tried it dozens of times, but it very rarely brought any birds. I can practically say, NEVER!

 

[Rosah]

I've had good luck pishing chickadees and ruby-crowned kinglets. The mockingbirds and cardinals hated it and left.

 

[Charles Harper]

I'm surprised, Marcus-- usually works good in the States. Maybe you should wet your whistle.

Sometimes I kiss my hand (when the ladies are finished), but usually I just pish. Varying the intensity helps (quieter as the birds near, of course; louder in desperation)

One thing that needs research is my perception that some areas of the world are better for pishing. It seems to work better in Hokkaido, for instance, than in southern Japan, and better in Canada than in the southern States.

And probably better in spring, when birds are on territory.

 

[cuddy]

I have tried pishing and always felt a right divvy, and i dont think the birds were too impressed either.

Not too keen on these squeakers, can be very annoying when your out in the field and some other birder is destroying the ambience with one of these toys.

 

[Geraldine]

I'd never heard of this, but will give it a go. I've noticed that birds stop and take notice when I play my penny whistle, but it's not something I've felt able to try very often, only on the occasional deserted campsite!
:hippy:

 

[Nina P]

I have had most success with owls, so in the evening I sit out in the garden and Hoo you'd be surprised how quickly I get a response.
The funniest one was going out to my car very early one morning and heard a strong BOO, so I copied it, thinking I'd not get a response so went to get into the car . and got bombed by a long eared owl. That'll larn me!! Nina

 

[John Marshall]

Surreybirder,

I knew a wildfowler who could bring hares and rabbits within a few yards, and in addition could turn small skeins of Pinkfooted geese by calling to them. His name was Mackenzie Thorpe, a well known Lincolnshire wildfowler on the Wash, he was at one time employed by Peter Scott at Sutton Bridge lighthouse were Scott used to live and paint his wildfowl pictures, alas he, like Sir Peter are no longer with us.

 

[Surreybirder]

Great anecdotes, Nina and John!
This morning, having started this thread, I thought I'd better try out my technique. I have to admit that the first three attempts were pretty much failures. I found a very good-looking spot but then got bounced on by two labradors (why do dog owners seem to assume you enjoy being pawed by their dogs, or at least not mind?). Anyway, the fourth time I tried I had almost immediate success, with great tits and blue tits coming close (the latter within 4 ft or so).
At another spot I heard a 'chuck' which I thought was either a blackcap or a lesser whitethroat, and when I followed the sound it was indeed a LW. I tried imitating its click, then 'pishing' and finally 'squeaking'. It ignored the first two and disappeared when I tried the last (possibly just coincidence).
So I guess that persistence and practice are both needed. Also, according to the original article in British Birds (BB), some birds respond more than others.
In my (limited) experience, LWs respond to 'chuck' calls when they are in family groups.
If I can find the reference in BB I'll post it. I seem to recall that there was an article in Birdwatch at one point, too, so ditto. (I had a letter on the subject printed shortly afterwards.)
Ken

 

[saluki]

Kenzie Thorpe! That's a blast from the past! Colin Willock, one-one time producer of 'Survival' wrote his biography 'Kenzie, the wild goose man' - an excellent book.

I've no experience whatsoever in 'pishing' - the noises I've heard Bill Oddie and others make when demonstrating the process are akin to the sound most beaters make on a pheasant shoot to (normally unsuccesfully) flush birds or attract their dogs to a potential scent. Some birds might react out of curiosity - most will ignore IMO.

'Squeaking' - or calling (mainly) foxes is completely different. One attempts to immitate the distress call of a rabbit (or a hare). I've been calling foxes by this method for twenty years - initially, I'll admit, to shoot them or kill them with lurchers - latterly, to watch them. I noticed many years ago that it attracted other species when daytime calling (in isolated places in Argyll, for instance, fox depredation often happened in the late afternoon during the winter). Most passerines will respond to a distress call, though, personally I've never had a daylight hunting raptor respond to a call. Owls are a different matter, Barn Owls are particularly easy to call. Corvids, obviously respond excellently. Surprisingly, rabbits, if they can't see you, will come in, as will hares and, of course, any predatory mammal.

As for the call itself it's far better to use the palm of your hand rather than the back, one can vary the tone far more. Cup your hand and suck on the middle of you're palm, vary the tone by moving your hand. It's a matter of experience to be honest, and your first attempts might not produce results. I started calling at night, using a high-powered spotlight to spot the foxes (their eyes shine like headlamps at night), I knew when I'd got the sound right when the foxes stopped hightailing it off!

I've got a short video clip of a barn owl I called in last year. It's rubbish as it was almost dark and one only sees the owl when it rises above the horizon, but I'll try to upload it onto the net later today sometime.

saluki

 

[phyllosc]

In a Mexican forest when all was very quiet I started pishing. Suddenly the birds all 'woke up'. In seconds several species of warbler came to investigate, however, they didn't hang around for long and soon disappeared back into the gloom of the forest. It felt like they come to check out the noise and all thought 'Oh, just another pishing birder!'

Dave

 

[marcus]

OK Charles, I'll try that and see what happens.

 

[Surreybirder]

References

As promised, here are a couple of references:

Birdwatch November 1997, issue 65: On the pish It seems to work for the Americans, but many British birder remain unconvinced. Anthony McGeehan explains how to pish with confidence.

Birdwatch Jan 1998: my letter (headlined: "pished again" -- thankyou, Dominic!)

McGeehan gives two further refs:

Dunne, P. 1995. Working the crowd. "Birding" 27: 490-491.

Mactavish, B. 1989. The art of pishing. "Birding world" 2: 33-34

I thought I had read an article in British Birds but I cannot find it. Perhaps someone with a full set of indexes could help?

Ken

 

[william j clive]

Pishing is a good way to attract Goldcrests, and on two occasions I have attracted Firecrest, the first one was a county tick for my companion. However, the birds soon get 'pished' off with it and disappear again.

 

[Michael Frankis]

I find it is good for Goldcrest, Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff (but not Willow Warbler), and some Sylvia warblers. The more closely you can imitate the bird's normal call note, the more effective it is. I've heard numerous birders who think it is done by shouting 'PISH PISH PISH' and of course, they attract nothing.

Michael

 

[Screech]

I have used both methods, my "pishing" seems to work better in Spring. Chickadees, titmice, bluejays,yellow warblers, black & whites, sparrows.
Once attracted I find their quick at checking out the source and then their gone.
"Kissing" the back of the hand will get those catbirds flitting around and on one occassion had a sharpie come flying thru. I sometimes use it while digiscoping to get a birds head up from the weeds, leaves,etc. Better haveyour cable release at the ready.

 

[Surreybirder]

Welcome to Birdforum, William!

It's interesting how different people's experiences are! I've had more success in autumn. As others have said, it works particularly well with Paridae and 'crests but I've had success with other species on occasion... trouble is, I find it hard to remember which! But certainly some warblers.

"Pishing" is not a question of shouting 'pish, pish', it's more of a psssssssssh! sound, repeated about 4 times in 5 seconds. The more urgent you can make it sound, the better. I agree that 'squeaking' seems to get the birds to hang around more. If you get a good flock calling, you can relax because it is self-perpetuating to some extent.

I'm pretty sure that the British Birds article ended up by saying that St Francis of Assisi was the best ever 'pisher' but perhaps that's theologically unsound.

 

[alan_rymer]

I tried sqeaking last night!. Sat on a bench 5 yards from some reeds where I heard Reed Wablers moving around. It seemed to work with first a Sedge and then a couple of Reed Warblers becoming curious. Unfortunately they did not keep still and as william j clive wrote, they soon pished off!.