Submitting Checklists on eBird

Using eBird is a breeze! Let’s walk through a survey step-by-step.

The eBird mobile app streamlines data collection. The app allows you to add birds to a checklist as you observe them while keeping track of the time – it is a notebook and a stopwatch all in one.

  1. Go to your monitoring site. (Remember, the spot where you conduct your surveys should be consistent from week to week.)

  2. Open the eBird app and sign into your account.

  3. Take a deep breath. Are you ready to start your survey? Let’s go!

  4. Click on the green button that says, “Start Checklist.” This starts the stopwatch (now visible in the top lefthand corner of your screen).

  5. Tune into your surroundings. Do you see and/or hear any birds? To record a bird, click on “Add observation or find species” at the top of your screen. Use the search bar to find the species you want to add. As you type, the species name will appear in a list below the search bar. Click once on the plus sign next to the name. This bird is now added to your checklist! Note that the plus sign is now a number 1. If you observe more individuals of the same species, click on the 1 to advance the tally (to 2, 3, 4, and so on).

  6. Record all the birds you see and/or hear during your survey. Keep an eye on the stopwatch. When the stopwatch hits 10 minutes, click the green button that says “Stop.” You’ll be asked if you want to “Stop track” or “Keep birding.” Click “Stop track.” You have finished your survey!

  7. Click on “Choose a location” to link the checklist to a location. If eBird recommends one or more hotspots as your location, choose the one that is nearest to you. If not, choose “New Location (auto selected)”, then “Create Location.” Enter a unique name that describes your location. Choose this location every time you submit a checklist at your monitoring site.

  8. If you observed birds with family or friends, update the number of observers to reflect the size of your group.

  9. Under “Is this a complete checklist of the birds you were able to identify?” choose “Yes.”

  10. Add #ProjectPhoenix to the checklist comments, and click the green “Submit” button in the lower righthand corner.