Here are some of the latest and greatest 2021 birding apps for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and Android.
Three that stick out among the competition are the iBird Pro, the BirdsEye and the Audubon Field Guide to North American Birds applications.
All three have field guide related information, but the BirdsEye app also allows users to see what birds have been recently sighted in specific locations and has an inventory of birding hotspots as well. Here are some of the highlights of each app:
Here's a great overview of iBird Pro features:
View iBird Pro Guide for Android
View iBird Pro Guide for iOS (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad)
Features of the Peterson Birds of North America Birding App:
Those of you who are Peterson guide birders will especially enjoy this app.
Several reviewers have said they like it even better than having their field guide book, especially that you can instantly listen to songs in addition to viewing identification details.
It does not have photos of the birds, but has Peterson drawings instead which I think is always better for bird identification.
View Peterson's Birds of North America for Android
View Peterson's Birds of North America for iOS (iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad)
Features of the Sibley eGuide to the Birds of
North America App:
View Sibley eGuide to the Birds of North America for Android
View Sibley eGuide to the Birds of North America for iOS (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad)
Features of Audubon Birds Field Guide App:
For those of you who prefer photos of birds for identification over drawings (which we personally do not), you may like the Audubon app better than the Peterson, National Geographic or Sibley apps which do not have photos, but drawings.
The iBird Explorer Pro has both and would be our choice if you wanted photos.
View Audubon Birds App - A Field Guide to North American Birds for Android
View Audubon Birds App - A Field Guide to North American Birds (iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad)
Features of the National Geographic Birding App:
This app would be a nice companion to the National Geographic's Field Guide to the Birds of North America, for those who prefer it over Peterson field guides, and/or instead of when you didn't have your guide book with you. It's also priced relatively cheap.
The search function seems to one of the highlights of this birding app, though we think Peterson's app is better at the same price because of added functionality and features.
National Geographic's Birds (iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad)
Some Features of BirdsEye App:
We think this would be a good app to have in addition to one of the other birding apps on this page which are more for identification purposes. BirdsEye would be especially useful when you are traveling and want to see new species in locations you aren't as familiar as your home town.
Bird Codes is a simple birding app to help you learn the four-letter bird codes, aka
alpha codes or banding codes.
Good when recording birds in the field and unsure of the proper code.
You'll also now know what other birders are talking about in forums, blogs, bird alerts, birding email lists, etc..
Some Features of Bird Codes App:
On a side note, for those banders or ringers out there, there is a free Band Codes app that in addition to the 4-letter banding codes also provides band size as a back-up, double-check.
It also gives notes when banding certain species. This one is free, but does not have all the AOU species as mentioned above.
So if you are a birder, not so much a bander, get the Bird Codes app.
Whether you are a beginner bird watcher or an expert ornithologist, any of these six birding apps for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad or Android device would be a great addition to your birding knowledgebase that is extremely portable.
All six, we believe, are bargain prices for the amount and quality of information you receive about birds for your mobile device.
Choose the app that best suits your learning style and the kind of information you would prefer most. Happy Birding!
More Bird Identification Pages:
Bird Identification - Need help with Bird ID?
Wild Bird Identification - Tips for identifying birds by sight and song.
Best Bird Field Guides - Which are the best field guides?
Bird Song Identification - Learn to id birds by song alone.
Bird Watching Tips - More birding tips 'cause you can never have too many!
Our Favorite Bird Watching Binoculars, Squirrel-Proof Feeder & Hummingbird Feeder Read Our Reviews: |
||
![]()
Nikon Monarch M5
Best mid-priced bird watching binoculars. Waterproof, shockproof, multi-coated ED-Glass. |
![]() |
![]()
Bird Bath Heater
Keeps your bird baths ice-free down to -20 F. Low-operating costs ~$1/mo |
Click Images or Links To View More Info |