How to Document Bird Sightings for eBird

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eBird connects over 374,682 birders who contributed last year, feeding a database that collects more than 100 million sightings annually. This data helps track migration patterns, habitat loss, and climate impacts, even updating range maps for over 1,000 species. Documenting your sightings—whether a rare find or a backyard regular—adds value. It validates unusual reports and builds a record you'll appreciate later. The process is straightforward: capture media of the living bird and pair it with clear notes. Birders also use the Merlin Bird ID app for sound identification. It's a solid way to support science and keep your own memory sharp.

What you need

• eBird account
• Smartphone or camera
• Notebook and pen

Steps

1. Create a free Cornell Lab account and confirm your email address. Download the eBird mobile app or use the desktop version. Birders recommend downloading bird packs for your region, searching for hotspots, and using the Merlin Bird ID app for sound identification to make the most of your outing.
2. Focus on wild, living birds using photos or sound recordings. Smartphone audio and digiscoped images are acceptable, and even poor-quality media can be valuable. Do not document tracks, feathers, nests, eggs, pellets, or media from other dates, locations, or people.
3. Record diagnostic features and explain how you eliminated similar species. Make detailed notes in the field covering age, sex, habitat, distance, lighting, optics used, and length of observation. Leave out incidental narratives, which are less useful for validation.
4. Documentation is required when eBird's automated filters flag a species or count as unusual. It is encouraged for common birds to provide useful information and preserve memories. Consider participating in Global Big Day on May 14th to contribute to global bird data.

Notes

Documentation consists of written comments, photographs, sound recordings, or videos. It must show the bird itself; evidence like tracks, feathers, nests, eggs, or pellets does not count. Documentation aids in appreciation and validation, especially for unexpected observations.

Why it works

Support for Research

eBird is the largest birding community, contributing to scientific research on climate change impacts, habitat loss, and migration patterns. Data helps update range maps for over 1,000 species.

Related on Birdwatching Bible: How to Set Up and Use eBird for Logging Bird Observations, How to Identify Bird Sounds with Merlin Bird ID, How to Join the Christmas Bird Count, How to Identify Mystery Bird Sounds Using Audio Analysis.

If it goes wrong

Media Quality Concerns

If your photo is blurry or recording is muffled, it is still worth submitting. Poor quality media can be valuable as long as it captures the wild, living bird.