This post is the first of several blog entries that will explore eBird. We hope that you will find interest and become a part of the eBird community.
eBird is an amazing database created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Currently, it holds over ONE BILLION records of bird sightings around the world. Data is submitted by people who have set up a FREE ebird account. Entering data into eBird is about as easy as it gets. Once you are set up with an account, you can enter your data using the eBird app on your mobile device or enter the data online at eBird from notes you make in the field.
The fundamental part of an eBird entry is the checklist. Each checklist corresponds to a date, time, and location. Of course, the checklist contains “ticks” for each species you see and identify, the number of birds you see, and other notes you may want to enter. After you review your entries you click “submit” and your data is sent on its way to become part of the world-wide, community-based data set at Cornell. Congratulations, you’re an eBirder.
The brains behind eBird are wizard-like. If you spend time exploring the eBird site you will find many ways to visualize the data in the database. You can look for data sorted by state, county, or hotspot location. Bar charts present a very useful summary of when birds are seen at a location and a sense of when they are limited in number or plentiful. You can search for a given species or make a list of birds you would like to see in the future. Maybe it’s just me, but the people who make this happen deserve a big shout-out!
I encourage you to explore eBird. You can do this even without an account. Just go to ebird.org, click on “Explore”. Enjoy!
Real-time submission of checklists
It’s easy to miss, but if you scroll to the bottom of the page after clicking on “Explore” in the eBird homepage, you’ll see a block labeled “Submission Map”. The one minute movie below shows checklist submissions as yellow dots on a map of the world. The movie was captured on November 12, 2021 about 13:00 Pacific Standard Time. If you have young children this is a great way to actively engage them in a geography lesson as you discuss birds and people around the world who are watching them and writing them down.
Keep your eye on this site for future information about eBird use in the NCWAS four-county area. Parts 2, 3, and 4 of this series are in the works. You might consider clicking the subscirbe button at the top of the page to receive an email anotification when a new blog entry appears on the NCW Audubon site. We look forward to your participation and welcome any and all comments (nice ones, right”).
I use eBird to determine where I want to go birding and what species I might see at that time of year. It’s an invaluable data resource for birders and scientists. It becomes more robust as increased numbers of people use it. I prefer to use it in the field but don’t submit my list until later when I’ve had a chance to review it. Thanks, Bruce, for encouraging NCWA members to use it.