Misuse of Images and Fabricated Bird Sightings
Google Reverse Image Search is a powerful tool for uncovering the origins of photographs online. By uploading an image to Google Images, you can quickly find visually similar photos, locate the original source, and often determine when and where the picture first appeared.
For journalists, this helps verify authenticity and publication dates. For photographers, it’s a way to track whether their work is being reused without permission.
Unfortunately, fake news doesn't only appear in politics or media—it’s now making its way into bird sightings, birding websites, and even wildlife photography. It’s disappointing to see individuals feeling the need to fabricate sightings or use stolen photos to support claims.
I know several birders who have spent valuable time searching for species based on these reports, only to discover that the supporting images were not legitimate. The website involved has repeatedly used photos taken from elsewhere on the internet to bolster false sightings.
The most recent example involves a supposed Trumpeter Finch photographed at Montnegre. However, a simple reverse-image search reveals that the photo is actually from Morocco, April 2010, taken by photographer Michel Carré.
Here is the source:
https://www.oiseaux.net/photos/michel.carre/trumpeter.finch.2.html
So how can a photo from Morocco in 2010 be presented as evidence of a bird seen in Montnegre, Alicante, in April 2021?
It can’t—and that’s exactly the point.
I haven’t named the person or website involved to spare them further embarrassment, though some might argue that repeated falsification risks labeling them a stringer—someone who intentionally fabricates bird sightings rather than simply making honest mistakes.
Hopefully, highlighting this issue will help put an end to the fake reports and the misuse of photographs. With nearly 40,000 views on Birding Costa Blanca, the word is already spreading.
At least there’s a bit less fog surrounding the truth now.
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Formal Report: Misuse of Images and Fabricated Bird Sightings
Introduction
Reverse image search technology, such as Google Reverse Image Search, has become an essential tool for verifying the authenticity of online photographs. By uploading an image, users can quickly locate visually similar photos, identify the original source, and determine when the image was first published. This capability is particularly valuable for journalists seeking to confirm the provenance of an image and for photographers monitoring the unauthorized use of their work.
Increasing Concern Over Fabricated Bird Sightings
The prevalence of misinformation on the internet has extended beyond general media and into the birding community. In recent years, instances of falsified bird sightings and misappropriated photographs have been reported. Such practices have misled birders, wasted valuable time, and undermined the credibility of local birding networks.
A number of birders have travelled considerable distances in search of species allegedly observed and photographed—only to later discover that the accompanying images were not authentic. In several cases, images have been sourced from unrelated websites and used without permission to substantiate fabricated reports.
Recent Case: Trumpeter Finch Misidentification
A recent example concerns a purported sighting of a Trumpeter Finch at Montnegre, Alicante, reported on 19 April 2021. The photograph presented as evidence was quickly revealed—through reverse image search—to be identical to an image taken in Morocco in April 2010 by photographer Michel Carré.
The original image can be found here:
This confirms that the photo used to support the alleged Montnegre sighting was not produced locally and does not correspond to the date or location claimed.
Implications
While the individual or website responsible has not been publicly identified here, repeated incidents of this nature risk leading to the perception of intentional deception. In birding terminology, such behaviour is often associated with the term stringer—someone who knowingly falsifies sightings rather than making unintentional identification errors.
These practices can erode trust within the birding community and diminish the reliability of local reports, which many birders depend on for planning fieldwork, travel, and species monitoring.
Conclusion
The exposure of falsified sightings through reverse image search underscores the importance of verification in the digital age. Birders are encouraged to make use of available tools to confirm the authenticity of images and reports. With widespread attention—nearly 105,130 views on Birding Costa Blanca at the time of writing—it is hoped that greater transparency will discourage the spread of misleading information.
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