The Art of Pishing: How to Attract Birds by Mimicking Their Calls (Book & Audio CD)

First of all "pishing" is making sounds to attract birds or wildlife. The sound has been likened to a distress call or a call note that birds use when identifying a threat. This has the effect of getting many birds of the area to collect around the source of the sound to the benefit of the person trying to spot and identify them.I've been birding for 36 years and have been "pishing" for birds almost as long thanks to my mentor and one of Michigan's best birders, Doug McWhirter. Doug taught me how to pish and how to do the screech owl imitation just as Pete Dunne describes it in this book. Since I've done this for so many years I wanted to see if there were any new tricks in the book.This is a short book, more like a manual with its' CD (90 pages in a small (6"x*8") size. It is readable and entertaining as anyone familiar with Pete Dunne's writing would know. He throws in lots of humorous examples in with the instructions. The book covers the advent of pishing in birding, the several types of pishing, when to employ the pish and when it will not be productive as well as ethical guidlines to pishing.I was interested to learn the "knock down pish" something new to me. Despite excellent instructions I found that I am still not able to do Dunnes squeal and need more practice. I also found verification that grassland birds are hard to pish but may respond more to squeals and chip notes. The CD is very brief but has good examples of the sounds, pitches, and duration that are difficult to explain in type.All in all a good little manual to help advance your birding skills

I've read in several field guides that cetain birds are "pishable", and quite frankly I never quite knew what that meant.I got this book and CD just before going on vacation to PA. I knew I'd have the chance to see lots of new birds and several of those were considered pishable.On my first day out birding in the Pocono's I tried the basic pish. And Wham! a Tufted Titmouse showed up. I kept pishing and a Black Capped Chickadee arrived. The Chickadee was so interested he flew out and nearly landed on my head. My kids were with me and they were quite impressed (they had been skeptical when we headed out). It was very satisfing to have my kids say "Mom, see if you can pish him out."Not only did the birds respond to pishing but squirrels seem quite intrigued by it also.This is a great find. I highly recommend it.

I bought this item with the  Birds, Birds, Birds! An Indoor Birdwatching Field Trip DVD Video Bird and Bird Song Guide  for an extreme bird-watching friend of mine who was recovering from surgery.He reported that in all of his bird book collecting and years of bird study he found new information and great enjoyment from this item.

this is a fun book while learning to call backyard birds or sight birds in the woods. The CD is an easy listening tool though I find myself laughing at my attempts to mimick Pete Dunne!!! Pishing is an old tool to call birds for closer eyeshot and not easy to master, but far more fun than an App. Now how many people do you know "Pish" ?

My wife uses her new learned calls to lure lifers.

I thought it was great but I got it for a friend who enjoyed calling birds so I figured she would love it...hmmmm...never heard back from her - what did you think, Roxann?

This is a great book to read, it is playful, informative, and delightful . . .PLUS you also find out how to make a sound that intrigues birds, so they come near you,and you learn about why, most likely, it works. No pseudo-science or hocus pocus,just observation and interpretation, presented with a likable and accessible style.

Haven't mastered the art of pishing yet, but I'm working on it!

Really interesting read and helpful cd.

The book was a gift for my wife. She loves it and has been using it extensively.

Parfait!