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Where can I see a particular species of bird near me?
If there's a target species you want to find, you can use eBird's Species Maps to learn where it has been seen by other people!
Photo: Cory Elowe
Rapid Results in the eBird App
Want to quickly learn if a bird has been seen in your area? Open your ebird app and tap the “Explore” icon at the bottom right, then type or choose any species into the search bar below the map! The app will then highlight the hotspots near your location where that species was reported. You can tap on it for more information including bar charts for that species and directions to where it’s been seen!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Desktop:
Click the Explore tab in the top left.
Scroll down to “More Ways to Explore” and click Species Maps.
Type the name of the species you’re looking for in the larger “Species” search bar. Select the species from the drop down menu that appears as you type. This will update the map to show all the places that species has ever been reported in ebird.
In the smaller “Location” search bar, type the name of the place you hope to see it. Try your county or state, or a nearby city. This will update the map to zoom in to the place you want to find that specific bird.
Now you can see small, teardrop-shaped hotspots icons on the map.
These are places where that bird has been seen!
Click one to view the most recent sightings of your specific bird, including the date it was seen, how many were seen, and who saw it.
Red hotspots mean that someone has seen that bird within 30 days, and blue hotspots mean that the bird has been seen there before, but not recently.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Mobile:
Tap the Menu icon in the top right, then tap Explore.
Scroll down to “More Ways to Explore” and tap Species Maps. In the search bar at the top, type the name of the species you’re looking for.
Select the species from the drop down menu that appears as you type. This will update the map to show all the places that species has ever been reported in eBird. From here, you can either zoom in manually with your fingers, or you can tap on the three blue dots at the top right.
In the bottom search bar, enter the location where you want to find the specific bird and select it from the drop down menu. Now you can see small, teardrop-shaped hotspots icons on the map. These are places where that bird has been seen!
Tap to view the most recent sightings of your specific bird, including the date it was seen, how many were seen, and who saw it.
Red hotspots mean that someone has seen that bird within 30 days, and blue hotspots mean that the bird has been seen there before, but not recently.
Bonus Features!
On the Species Maps page, you can also...
See every place in the world where that bird has been spotted!
Before typing a location, the map displays all the places where someone has reported the species you’re looking for. The darkest purple parts of the grid are places where it has been seen a lot, with lighter purple zones meaning it’s sometimes there but not as frequently. This color key is also displayed on the right sidebar, which you can view on mobile by tapping the white box with a small arrow in the top right of the map window.
Customize the date range to see where that species is during specific times of the year!
For desktop, look between the two search bars near the top of the page and click the blue text next to “Date” that says “Year-round, All years” to access a drop-down menu with specific date display options. On mobile, tap the three blue circles in the top right to find the same blue text in between the two search bars. Pick a time of year and then click “Set date range” to see if the species you’re looking for is around during a specific time of year. Try setting the date range to the current month for the most accurate picture of where to find that bird!
Use the Zoom tool on desktop view to look at a broader area!
If you don’t want to type a specific place into the search bar, select the Zoom Tool from the top of the right side bar and use it to draw a box on the map. It will zoom in on that broad zone and show you hotspots where the specific bird has been seen in that region.
Customize the map type!
On the right sidebar, choose between terrain, street, satellite, and hybrid satellite+street maps views.
Explore Species:
There is a search bar under the heading Explore Species.
Type a species into the search bar and select it from the drop down menu that appears as you do.
This will take you to a species page with pictures and a short description for identification. Here you can also look at its range across the world, find specific places to see it, and view statistics and other media like audio recordings!
Surprise Me!:
Underneath the Explore Species search bar is a small arrow icon with the words “Surprise me!”
Click on it to see a randomized species page for a random bird from anywhere around the world! You might find something you’ve seen in your backyard, or get to know a bird you’ve never heard of before!
