Why Watch Birds?

Let’s just take a couple of minutes to remember why we bother about going out and watching birds. This video clip from Pennsylvania says a lot about the Joy of Birding, I think.

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iBird Review and iPod Apps Update

Birding iPod apps are all the buzz now.

When I first wrote about bird identification iPod apps.  I was such a newbie to “smartphones” I was unconvinced of their value and utility in the field.As iPhones and other Smartphones become ever more popular, numerous outdoor applications (apps) are being developed to serve a broader audience. I confess, I am tempted by the bird identification applications. When birding guides on iPods and similar devices hit the New York Times tech section it is time to refocus on the issue!

Because I have not tried any of the currently available iPhone bird applications yet, I had to rely on online and telephone research with other birders. Consequently, I offer here a list of current applications for bird identification followed by a list of sites with more data.

Current applications for bird identification for Smartphones

• Peterson Guides
• Audubon Birds
• National Geographic Hand-Held Birds
• iBird Yard
• iBird Explorer Plus
• Chirp! Bird Songs USA Plus
• BirdsEye

I quote Bob Tedeschi who reviewed these bird identification applications for the NY Times:

“I found iBird the easiest to use, while National Geographic’s sketches were the prettiest to look at and Audubon had the broadest range of bird calls and the best photography. iBird Yard is the only full-featured birding app to offer an iPad-specific service, and it’s well worth the $5.” April 21, 2010

Now when people talk about getting their gear together for a birding expedition it will surely include a discussion of which Smartphone applications will be used as well. Surely a Smartphone will be much easier and lighter weight than flipping through the pages of your paper bound field guides. Some of the bird sounds included are so accurate that they could be easily perceived as a trespasser by your local bird population. So caution is advised to avoid harassing the birds in their natural habitat.  Another birding friend recommends wearing a hard hat in case the recorded sounds are too accurate!

Sources for more information on Smartphone bird apps

• Birdwatchers Digest
• Wildtones/Wildsight
• The Adventure Life
• The Future of Ornithology
• WhatBird.com
• All About Birds

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