[ad_1]
I can’t imagine leaving my smartphone at home when birding! As technology continues to evolve, it has become an invaluable tool.
For example, I have birding apps for just about everything, including field guides, checklists, automatic sound recognition, and even apps that help me find the local birds I’m looking for!
But finding birding apps that work well can be difficult.
I have downloaded some losers that were deleted immediately. π
This post is dedicated to sharing my favorite bird watching apps.
Please check back often, as I will do my best to keep this page updated with new apps and remove those that are no longer useful. Most of the apps listed below I own and use on my phone or tablet.
Table of contents:
Apps That Help You Identify Birds:
#1: iBird Pro Guide to Birds
iBird Pro is my favorite field guide that I use on my phone!
It is very easy to search for birds using different features (size, color, location, etc.). It’s also great that they have BOTH drawings AND photos of each bird, which really helps me identify each species correctly.
Finally, the extensive library of sounds is also very important. The ability to compare sounds and calls has helped with many confusing identifications.
Available At:
Additional Resources:
#2: Audubon Bird Guide
My favorite part of this field guide app is that it’s free! The Audubon Society has put all this work and time into creating a fantastic electronic field guide, and now they’re giving it away!
I have this field guide on my phone next to iBird Pro. For confusing identifications, I find it useful to consult them both.
If you are a beginner birder, I recommend getting this app before spending money on one of the other field guides. π
Available At:
Additional Resources:
#3: Merlin Bird ID
Not sure what bird you saw? This app, created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, is here to help.
Incredibly, this birding app uses Artificial Intelligence to help with identification.
If you spot a mystery bird, you can use the Merlin Bird ID in one of two ways:
- Answer five simple questions.
- Upload or take a photo of a bird.
I recently started playing with the app and uploaded a photo of an American Robin and Mourning Dove from my backyard, and they both nailed it. It’s pretty easy to identify the species but a solid start!
If you don’t have a picture, answering the five questions that Merlin asks is also pretty accurate. For example, recently, I used it to correctly identify a Yellow-rumped Warbler!
At the very least, Merlin should at least be able to narrow the bird down to a few options.
And guess what?
Merlin Bird ID can also suggest birds you’ve HEARD! As you probably know, identifying bird songs can be tricky, so having a little help is greatly appreciated.
Available At:
Additional Resources:
#4: The Warbler Guide
Seeing a warbler is one thing, but trying to identify the right species is a whole other challenge.
This birding app is useful because it focuses on helping to identify warblers by sight or song as quickly and efficiently as possible.
If you want to become an expert on warblers, this is the app for you! π
Available At:
Additional Resources:
#5: Raptor ID
The Raptors are incredibly hard for me to identify with. They are usually too far up to get a good view. Even when they’re close enough to see, I get frustrated with the subtle differences between some hawks or the possibility that I’m looking at a juvenile.
HawkWatch International’s Raptor ID specializes in 34 North American raptor species. So if you struggle with birds of prey like I do, this might be the app for you.
It has many resources to help identify raptors in flight and specializes in all the variations that can be very confusing! Although you can get a lot of information about these birds in a normal field guide, Raptor ID takes this information several steps further and focuses on raptors very well.
Available At:
Additional Resources:
The Best App to LEARN about Birds by Sight and Sound:
As they say, practice makes perfect! These birding apps help teach you how to identify birds.
#6: Larkwire
Do you think learning bird sounds by listening to call after call can be boring and repetitive?
If so, this birding app may be just what you need. π
Larkwire makes learning bird sounds a fun game! And as you master some of the easier birds, the game continues to progress to more challenging species.
I think it’s super entertaining and a great way to learn bird calls and songs. This is definitely one of my favorite apps for bird watching!
Available At:
Available Locations:
Additional Resources:
#7: Chirp! Bird Song USA
Chirping is used to learn songs for birds that live in the United States and Canada. This birding app is very similar to Larkwire, except it’s a bit cheaper.
Listen to songs, read helpful tips, then try the quiz to test your memory. Answer quickly to get score multiplier and get high score table. π
Available At:
Additional Resources:
-
chirp! β Home Page
- Youtube video showing how to use Chirp:
#8: Quizlets
Quizlet is a unique choice for this list because it wasn’t designed to be an app for studying birds.
Regardless, this is incredibly helpful!
Think of Quizlet as electronic flashcards. But instead of making all the flashcards yourself, you can search and add cards made by other users.
There are many flashcards available that can teach you how to identify different birds. Within minutes, you can download a deck and start asking yourself questions.
For example, I recently headed west to Utah and wanted to learn about some of the birds of western North America. I searched and found many decks that I could use.
Available At:
- iTunes
- Google play
- Did I mention this app is FREE! But there are some possible in-app purchases.
Additional Resources:
The Best Checklist Apps
The next few birding apps are designed to help you keep track of the birds you see!
#9: eBird
This bird watching app is probably the one I use the most. It tracks every bird you see and organizes the data in almost any way you can imagine.
Interested in a total inventory of your life? Finished.
Wondering how many birds have been observed in your backyard? Check.
Want to compare your stats against other eBird users? Easy!
The app is easy to use. I start a new checklist on my phone as I begin my birding trip and complete it before I drive my car home. I can easily access my checklist later from my computer or phone if I need to edit it later.
The eBird app can also be used to find local birding hotspots which is a valuable tool, especially when traveling.
Available At:
Additional Resources:
#10: inaturalist
I consider myself a dedicated eBirder, and it’s hard to recommend any other app on the list or website.
If you’re just interested in birds, eBird will be the app you want to use to keep track of all the species you’ve seen.
But if you also enjoy tracking the reptiles, mammals, amphibians, or plants you observe, iNaturalist is worth checking out. Basically, whatever you see, the app tracks it for you AND helps you identify it. Just upload a photo and let Artificial Intelligence do the rest (and if that doesn’t work, another member will help you). π
Available At:
Additional Resources:
Best App to Find Local Birds
This birding app helps you find local birding spots.
#11: BirdsEye Bird Finding Guide
The BirdsEye Bird Finding Guide app is one of my favorites!
Its purpose is to help find the local bird species you want to see. This is especially good for rare birds or birds that you have never observed before.
The app syncs with your eBird account and uses your location to show what bird species other users have seen and recorded. You can then pull up a map to show the location where it was observed.
My favorite feature is the ability to find birds I’ve never seen before. On the app screen, there is a tab titled βNeeds.β Since BirdsEye syncs with my eBird account, it will show birds that have not been added to my live list but have recently been seen in my area.
Once I find the bird’s location, the app even sends me to my Google Maps app to provide GPS directions to the area! Unbelievable!
Available At:
- iTunes
- Google play
- The app is free to download and use most features. You can pay for a membership that unlocks rare species in your area. For example, I live in Ohio and only get access to the most common 150 species for free.
Additional Resources:
And just like that, we’ve come to the end of the list of some of my favorite and best bird watching apps.
If there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that this list will become obsolete at some point.
New apps will be released. Some of these won’t be updated in years. Always happening. But I promise to keep this list updated.
I need your help!
What are your favorite apps for bird watching?
Please use the COMMENTS below to let me know what I should check out next.
Scott
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.