{"id":72295,"date":"2026-05-08T10:07:26","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T14:07:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/?p=72295"},"modified":"2026-05-09T16:09:46","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T20:09:46","slug":"insight-better-birding-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/insight-better-birding-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"Birding with Insight: Cornell Lab Tools for Better Birding"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>At a presentation at the Biggest Week in American Birding, we demonstrated a few different tools that can help you enjoy birds, identify them, know how many are migrating, and find any birds of special interest in your local area and when you travel. This page compiles those links for you as a handy reference. Thanks for attending the workshop!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Merlin Bird ID<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Our free bird identification app works like a virtual field guide and can help you ID birds from sounds, photos, or by answering 5 basic questions about what you saw. Here&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/merlin.allaboutbirds.org\/\">more about Merlin Bird ID<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Birds Near Me<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This feature is built into All About Birds. It provides lists of likely species for any location in the U.S. and Canada. You can filter the list using a Merlin-like interface, so it&#8217;s great for bird ID as well as for planning for the birds you might see on upcoming trips. <a href=\"http:\/\/allaboutbirds.org\/birdsnearme\">Try out Birds Near Me<\/a> now or find it anytime via the button in the search bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">eBird Animated Abundance Maps<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"article-list alignright right list-style card-four \"><ul><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media  content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/ebird.org\/science\/status-and-trends\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/ebird-eBluebird-strends.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/ebird-eBluebird-strends-720x406.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/ebird-eBluebird-strends-240x135.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/ebird-eBluebird-strends-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/ebird-eBluebird-strends-480x270.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/ebird-eBluebird-strends.jpg 866w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"eBird status and trends. Eastern BLuebird by Alix d'Entremont\/ML\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/ebird.org\/science\/status-and-trends\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">eBird Status and Trends<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<p>These fascinating maps show where a species can be found each week of the year. You can play the map like an animation to watch how the bird&#8217;s range ebbs and flows across the year. You can also view the map one week at a time to explore their range in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Visit eBird Status and Trends, search for a species and then select &#8220;Weekly&#8221; from the menu at the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">BirdCast<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"article-list alignright right list-style card-four \"><ul><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media  content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/heres-how-to-use-the-new-migration-forecast-tools-from-birdcast\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/birdcast-fi-4x3-1.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/birdcast-fi-4x3-1-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/birdcast-fi-4x3-1-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/birdcast-fi-4x3-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/birdcast-fi-4x3-1-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/birdcast-fi-4x3-1.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"map of the continental U.S. showing intensity of bird migration\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/heres-how-to-use-the-new-migration-forecast-tools-from-birdcast\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">How to Use BirdCast Maps and Dashboard to See Your Local Migration in Detail<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<p>This project uses weather radar to estimate how many birds will be in flight each night during the migration season. It can also tell you how many birds flew over your home state or county each night, and what birds to expect. It&#8217;s fascinating to see the sheer scale of migration, and to get advance notice of what birding might be like for your area over the next few days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">eBird Mobile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Thousands of birders use the free eBird Mobile app to keep track of their birding outings. But it&#8217;s also an incredible tool for finding birds, even if you don&#8217;t want to use it to enter checklists. Here&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/ebird.org\/about\/ebird-mobile\">more about eBird Mobile<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">eBird Essentials<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"article-list alignright right list-style card-four \"><ul><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media  content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/academy.allaboutbirds.org\/product\/ebird-essentials\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/eBirdEssentials-1.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/eBirdEssentials-1-720x405.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/eBirdEssentials-1-240x135.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/eBirdEssentials-1-480x270.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/eBirdEssentials-1.jpg 759w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"Learn about eBird Essentials. Cerulean Warbler image by Andrew Simon\/Macaulay Library.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/academy.allaboutbirds.org\/product\/ebird-essentials\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">Learn All About eBird with eBird Essentials Course<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<p>This free course from Bird Academy will introduce you to eBird and go over how to start using it to save checklists, notes, and media of the birds you find; as well as best practices for entering data so that it&#8217;s useful for science and conservation analyses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ways to Help Birds<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"article-list alignright right list-style card-three \"><ul><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media  content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/seven-simple-actions-to-help-birds\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/56732651-Wood_Thrush-Petruzi-andSeroussi-FI.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/56732651-Wood_Thrush-Petruzi-andSeroussi-FI-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/56732651-Wood_Thrush-Petruzi-andSeroussi-FI-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/56732651-Wood_Thrush-Petruzi-andSeroussi-FI-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/56732651-Wood_Thrush-Petruzi-andSeroussi-FI-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/56732651-Wood_Thrush-Petruzi-andSeroussi-FI.jpg 837w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"7 simple things to help birds, graphic by Sarah Seroussi. Wood Thrush by John Petruzzi\/Macaulay Library.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/seven-simple-actions-to-help-birds\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">Seven Simple Actions to Help Birds<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.stopbirdcollisions.org\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bird-Collision-Prevention-Alliance.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bird-Collision-Prevention-Alliance-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bird-Collision-Prevention-Alliance-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bird-Collision-Prevention-Alliance-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bird-Collision-Prevention-Alliance-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bird-Collision-Prevention-Alliance.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"Bird Collision Prevention Alliance.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stopbirdcollisions.org\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">Bird Collision Prevention Alliance<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Try the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/seven-simple-actions-to-help-birds\/\">Seven Simple Actions to Help Birds<\/a>, and learn about window safety via the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stopbirdcollisions.org\/\">Bird Collision Prevention Alliance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By caring about birds and sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm with others, you are helping raise the profile of birds and conservation. eBird also provides a way to participate in conservation science by contributing your observations to the global eBird database. Thank you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At a presentation at the Biggest Week in American Birding, we demonstrated a few different tools that can help you enjoy birds, identify them, know how many are migrating, and<a class=\"excerpt-read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/insight-better-birding-tools\/\" title=\"ReadBirding with Insight: Cornell Lab Tools for Better Birding\">&#8230; Read more &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":65427,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_tec_requires_first_save":true,"_birdpress_living_bird_toc":0,"_birdpress_living_bird_toc_title":"","_birdpress_featured_image":false,"_birdpress_hero_toggle":false,"_birdpress_hero_type":"image","_birdpress_hero_image_type":"image","_birdpress_hero_style":"default","_birdpress_hero_ratio":"","_birdpress_hero_h1":"","_birdpress_hero_media_id":0,"_birdpress_hero_media_array_id":[],"_birdpress_hero_media_array":[],"_birdpress_hero_media":0,"_birdpress_hero_video_id":0,"_birdpress_hero_video":0,"_birdpress_hero_youtube":"","_birdpress_hero_content":true,"_birdpress_hero_byline":"","_birdpress_hero_byline_bottom":"","_birdpress_hero_button_link":"","_birdpress_hero_button_text":"","_birdpress_hero_button_color":"","_birdpress_hero_date":false,"original_guid":"","_birdpress_hide_search":false,"_birdpress_page_width":"","_birdpress_global_cta":false,"_birdpress_widget_sidebar":"","_birdpress_next_article":0,"_birdpress_next_article_title":"","_birdpress_prev_article":0,"_birdpress_prev_article_title":"","_birdpress_sub_navigation_id":0,"_birdpress_sub_navigation":"","_birdpress_sub_navigation_title":false,"_birdpress_anchor_navigation_id":0,"_birdpress_anchor_navigation":"","_birdpress_postType":"both","_birdpress_categoryID":0,"_birdpress_tagID":0,"_birdpress_parentPostID":0,"_birdpress_parentPostTitle":"","_birdpress_menuID":0,"_birdpress_menuName":"","_birdpress_listHeader":"","_birdpress_listLayout":"card-display","_birdpress_listColumns":"","_birdpress_maxItems":12,"_birdpress_listPaginate":true,"_birdpress_displaySort":true,"_birdpress_sortOrder":"DESC","_birdpress_sortBy":"date","_birdpress_listID":"","_birdpress_listClass":"","_birdpress_displayImages":true,"_birdpress_displayCaptions":false,"_birdpress_displayExcerpts":false,"_birdpress_attTop":"","_birdpress_attBottom":"","_birdpress_showLogos":false,"_birdpress_post_logo":0,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_tribe_blocks_recurrence_rules":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_description":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_exclusions":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_topic":0,"wds_primary_content-format":0,"wds_primary_cornell-lab-project":0,"wds_primary_host-project":0,"wds_primary_read-more-tag":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"topic":[992,1042,1077,998],"content-format":[1055],"cornell-lab-project":[],"host-project":[],"read-more-tag":[],"class_list":["post-72295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","topic-bird-id-skills","topic-bird-watching-news-and-features","topic-finding-birds","topic-news-and-features","content-format-article"],"metadata":{"_edit_lock":["1778358528:2"],"_wds_focus-keywords":[""],"_edit_last":["2"],"_webdados_fb_open_graph_specific_image":[""],"_webdados_fb_open_graph_specific_description":[""],"_webdados_fb_open_graph_specific_title":[""],"_wds_trimmed_excerpt":["At 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