eBird

What is eBird

eBird is a global database and citizen science project managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It allows bird watchers to track their sightings, create personal life lists, and explore real-time data on bird distribution. More than just a logbook, eBird data is used by scientists worldwide to study bird migration, abundance, and conservation needs.

How does eBird work

eBird operates on a crowdsourcing model. Users submit 'checklists' of birds they have seen or heard at a specific location and time. These checklists are vetted by expert volunteer reviewers and automated filters to ensure accuracy. The aggregated data is then visualized on maps, helping users find where specific birds are being seen.

Benefits of eBird

For the user, eBird acts as a permanent, digital diary of their birding life, tracking stats like 'Life List' and 'Year List' automatically. For science, it provides an unprecedented volume of real-time data that helps track population trends and inform conservation policy.

Pros and Cons of eBird

Pros

• Scientific Contribution: Your hobby directly aids conservation science.
• Hotspot Discovery: Find the best birding locations near you.
• Personal Tracking: Automates listing and statistics for your sightings.
• Global Community: Used by millions of birders worldwide.

Cons

• Steeper Learning Curve: Requires manual entry and knowledge of species (not an auto-ID tool).
• Strict Vetting: Rare sightings require proof/details to be accepted.

Core Features of eBird

Checklist Submission A robust system for logging species counts, location, and effort data.

Hotspot Explorer Interactive maps showing popular birding locations and what has been seen there recently.

Target Species Customized alerts telling you which birds you haven't seen yet are being reported in your area.

Trip Reports Create summaries of birding trips to share with friends or on social media.

Use Cases of eBird

• Serious Birders: Maintaining a rigorous Life List and Year List.
• Researchers: Accessing raw data for population studies.
• Conservationists: identifying critical habitats based on bird density.

FAQs of eBird

Is eBird an identification app? No, eBird is for recording what you have already identified. Use Merlin for identification.

Is my data private? You can hide checklists, but the goal is public science. Sensitive species locations are automatically hidden.

How to use eBird

1. Create an Account: Sign up at ebird.org (same login as Merlin).
2. Start a Checklist: Use the mobile app or website to start a new list.
3. Enter Location: Select your specific birding location.
4. Log Birds: Enter the numbers of each species you observe.
5. Submit: Finalize the list to add it to the global database.