eBird
An app that logs the birds you see and shares them with scientists.
What eBird does
eBird is the Cornell Lab's free app for keeping bird checklists. It doesn't identify birds for you. Instead, it suggests likely species for your place and season, lets you count as you go, works fully offline, and sends your sightings to your eBird account, where researchers use the data.
eBird is for after you know what you're looking at. It's a checklist app: you start a session, add each species and how many you saw, and submit it to your eBird account. It suggests likely birds for your location and time of year and flags rare ones, which helps keep your lists accurate.
It works fully offline, so you can keep counting on remote trails and submit when you're back in range. GPS plots your location, map tools help you pick eBird hotspots, and a record-as-you-go mode makes counting during a walk easier. Your checklists become data that researchers use to study birds.
It's not an ID tool, so pair it with Merlin (also from the Cornell Lab) for that. Download the species pack for a destination before you go. If you just want to name a bird, start with Merlin. If you want to keep a real record of what you see, eBird is the app to use.
Alternatives to eBird
Who it's for
Skip it if: Beginners who need help identifying birds.
Pricing
Free planeBird is free. Its store listing doesn't mention any in-app purchases.
Prices can vary by country. Checked 19 Oct 2026.
What people like
- Free
- Works fully offline
- Your lists feed real research
- Pairs well with Merlin
Watch out for
- Doesn't identify birds
- Lower App Store rating than Merlin
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Questions people ask
Does eBird identify birds?
No. eBird is for logging what you saw. Use Merlin, also from the Cornell Lab, to identify birds.
Is eBird free?
Yes. eBird is free on iPhone and Android.
Does eBird work offline?
Yes. You can keep checklists offline and submit them later. Download species packs for a destination before you go.
Why should I use eBird?
It keeps a clean record of every bird you see, and your checklists add to data that researchers use to study birds.