# eBird — user reviews > 356 indexed App Store user reviews of eBird by Cornell University, rated 3.80/5 from 803 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird/id988799279/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird/id988799279.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 434 · 4★ 111 · 3★ 78 · 2★ 63 · 1★ 117 ## What do users think of eBird? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 🚀 Excellent for citizen science - 🔍 Helpful for finding birds at hotspots - 📚 Useful for tracking life lists - 👍 Easy to use and submit checklists - 🤝 Integrates well with Merlin Bird ID **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs - 🔋 High battery consumption - 📍 Issues with location tracking and mapping - 🤔 Unintuitive user interface - 🔒 Privacy concerns with location data **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes when trying to start a new checklist - Inability to log in or access account - Inconsistent behavior with bird pack downloads - Checklist data not syncing across devices - Explore feature not working as expected **Most requested features** - Add ability to upload photos and audio directly in the app - Implement alphabetical sorting for checklists - Improve syncing between app and website - Add more advanced filtering and search options - Provide offline access to bird information ## Newest reviews (15 of 356) ### 4/5 — Interesting app *2026-08-02, version 3.6.2* Separate app from Merlin which I have been using for years. Will see how this plays. Always interested in being a citizen scientist observer of nature! ### 2/5 — Omg what did you do? *2026-07-29, version 3.6.2* Latest “greatest” version wiped out my recordings from years and more. Forced to create a username and login, I had to begin downloading packs again. Downloading is slow. What happened to what packages I had that existed before? I had some for other regions in the world. Recordings of those birds lost. Unbelievably sad. I have zero of my history. Nada. I am hugely disappointed in this. It was one of my favorite apps. Definitely a bad decision on Cornell’s part to leave users behind. ### 3/5 — Was great, but now stopped working *2026-07-29, version 3.6.2* It was good until it stopped. I can’t submit my checklist. Can’t get support. Looks like we’re finished with this app. ### 4/5 — Incredible app! Please add a widget feature *2026-07-09, version 3.6.2* I’d love to see a widget for easy accessibility ### 2/5 — Needs Work. *2026-07-05, version 3.6.2* App is very clunky and difficult to navigate. Need the ability to log a checklist from anywhere in the country instead of only in my close radius. Birds should be sorted by location by showing the most recent birds up top. So much scrolling to find the birds that are actually at the location. Would love the ability to see a profile or photo of the birds by clicking the species in the checklist options. ### 3/5 — Verbesserungsbedarf *2026-06-18* An sich gute Idee, die Hotspots sind super als Übersicht über Vogelarten in der Nähe. Leider aber einige Fehler, wie dass die Namen der Vögel leider weiterhin auf Englisch angezeigt werden. Außerdem lädt das Sprachpaket, welches man zu Beginn runterladen muss, sehr sehr langsam. ### 3/5 — Not compatible with ipad *2026-06-14, version 3.6.2* I often go birding with my ipad because i have a keyboard attached. I like the larger screen. This is not compatible with an iPad, and I didn’t see a description that explicitly said that. Too bad, thus the 3 star rating. ### 2/5 — Always an issue *2026-05-25, version 3.6.1* Now it won’t even let me select the location so I can no longer submit lists. ### 2/5 — Glitchy but what else is there? *2026-05-24, version 3.6.1* I always have problems with locations and the app crashing. Or it is just plain slow. Especially after a day of birding. Looking for something else to manage my bird lists. ### 3/5 — Best way to log, Worst interface *2026-05-15, version 3.6.1* I love eBird unequivocally and I use it each and every day for logging birds I see. For that purpose, it’s the best tool you can use. That being said, the look of the app is terrible, as well as many features “timing out” or just taking forever to load regardless of connection. 50% of the time I open the app and enter the explore page, it times out and I have to re enter my location and wait another 15 seconds for it to pull it up. So many people use eBird to give Cornell free data! Millions of data points every year. Conservation efforts have been largely waged on eBird data, so why aren’t the users compensated with an app they’ll actually enjoy to use? It functions as 2010 technology with proportional load times. eBird, I love you, but please improve the app. ### 3/5 — Can use without extra downloads *2026-05-12, version 3.6.1* I wish I could opt out of installing packs to use this. I can’t get past the pack installing screen because it keeps getting stuck. Should be an option to just use the online features without installing anything for offline. ### 2/5 — Buggy *2026-05-03, version 3.6.1* I use to love this app but now I can’t use it. It will not track or load a bird pack at all. I’ve done everything I know to do. When it did work it crashed and froze often. Hopefully someone will sort it out. ### 2/5 — Harder now to add photos *2026-05-02, version 3.6.1* I used to be able to add photos to my list from my iPhone. Now I have to take a photo and download it to a computer. There is a media button then to add photo. It more complicated than I’m willing to do. ### 2/5 — Frustrating *2026-04-23* I find this app so frustrating. It has amazing potential but is most user unfriendly. Why can’t I use the map in explore to see what birds are to be seen in the countries I am visiting? I’ve messed around, installed uninstalled the app the packs, my location. So bad I give up. ### 2/5 — Just use the website *2026-04-16, version 3.6.1* As I entered the app, I signed in. Right there,it brings me to a screen entitled “Pick a Pack”. It was a raw, unmoving screen with an image of pack options on different continents. I tried to pick North America but even touching does not work. I did not get any further. Just use the website. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Haven’t been able to access my account for days. *2026-08-18* No way to email for help that I can find on their site and I can submit any reports because I keep getting a connection error ### 1/5 — Faulty app doesn’t install fully *2026-08-10* Tried to install this but fails to progress/allow installation of bird packs. It doesn’t list any. Tried reporting to the developer and got no response. I’d give this a hard pass. ### 1/5 — Freezes on ‘Install a pack’ screen *2026-07-03* Mac desktop app doesn’t work ### 1/5 — No good *2026-05-28, version 3.6.1* Deleting this app. Can’t get past purchase packs screen. Disappointing. ### 1/5 — Gatekeeping at its worst *2026-05-27* I have been birding for over 20 years and I started using this app for a local bird count. You will get an email if you see an uncommon or rare bird man-splaining to you that I IDed it wrong despite my report notes. This app also marks reports that are valid with explanations for the identification provided as “incomplete.” Not everyone is an amateur, so don’t assume we are ignorant, and if you want to expand bird science as you claim, especially in the transition areas where I live and regularly see some rare birds, stop the rude emails and the unnecessary gatekeeping. One wonders how this man who has no EB affiliation with his email address got my email address in the first place so there’s some privacy questions about your data management that you also may want to address. ### 1/5 — Last Update Broke the App *2026-05-26, version 3.6.1* Latest update caused a lot of issues, I frequently get logged out and have to log back in and the explore tab takes forever to load or doesn’t work at all most days ### 1/5 — This app sucks *2026-05-25, version 3.6.1* It said I had 23 species but it went down to 19 this app sucks I don’t recommend ### 1/5 — This would be great if it actually worked *2026-04-30, version 3.6.1* I downloaded this app so Merlin would save my daily sightings to EBird as requested in the app. However this app never lets me get past the screen to download packs so it is a brick. Emailed support and no response. Don’t bother with this app. If Cornell wants to continue getting subscriptions and donations, they might want to make apps work or atleast set up a way for us enthusiasts who record such information and save it to a data base easily. Hard to be a citizen scientist when reporting is not an option. ### 1/5 — Loved the app but… *2026-04-26, version 3.6.1* I deleted and reinstalled the app. It opened as a new app but when I got to the loading for packs, it froze. I can’t get past this screen and can’t go back either, so I reloaded it and now it won’t let me go past the first infroductory screen! HELP! ——— Correction: Suddenly the checklist won’t open…??!! Something is majorly wrong with this app. I reinstalled it and now I can’t get past the screen the first screen!! What’s going on??? ### 1/5 — Good ap. Terrible people *2026-04-25, version 3.6.1* Flaggers are power hungry dictators. They are obviously culling observations and observers to make sure data matches their expected outcomes ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Excellent For Data Collection & Research *2026-07-10* 1) Good for Observed Bird Data storage 2) Very helpful in Searching species 3) Good tool for Data Analysis & Research Note : Review and Clearance of Unconfirmed List Processes is too slow! ### 5/5 — I love ebird *2026-06-27, version 3.6.2* I love ebird ### 5/5 — THE essential birding app for pros and newbies *2026-06-21, version 3.6.2* While EBird’s cousin Merlin is mostly for beginners, (although it is still amazing), it is mostly for newer birders learning still. EBird is the best place for everybody of all skill levels to find birds, report birds, and keep track of the ones you’ve seen ### 5/5 — My Favourite App *2026-06-01* I LOVE this app, plain and simple. The ability to log your sightings while contributing to citizen science is such a powerful tool for conservation! Being able to see recent sightings of each bird in your region can help inform birding outings greatly! ### 5/5 — 日本語の種名が出ない方へ *2026-04-28* 一度言語を英語にし、再度日本語を選択すると表示されるようになりました。お試し下さい。 ### 5/5 — heck yeah *2026-04-11, version 3.6.1* Best drug ever ### 5/5 — Love eBird *2026-03-26, version 3.6.1* Amazing app for citizen science! I highly recommend all people with a passion for birding to learn how to use eBird properly, it’s an invaluable tool for birding. The ability to see stats such as how many birds I’ve seen (that can be scaled down to specific regions) around the world, is awesome! Love it for my own nerdy, birdy records and for helping the scientists out at the same time 🤓 the only things I’d love to see, are the iconic birds for each hotspot like on the website and ability to add photos within the app! Thanks eBird! ### 5/5 — Most useful with self-education *2026-03-15* eBird is incomparably valuable for finding nearby birding spots and tracking down species you want to see—short of talking to experts in the area you’re visiting, nothing else comes close. However, it is not a bird ID guide: it’s a tracking system for what you and others have already found and identified. As such, it’s best-used with a bit of research on the user’s part: check out the tutorials and explore features in the desktop and mobile versions so you know how to get the most out of it. I recommend using the target species feature to survey areas in advance before you travel and find recent sightings! (Of course, eBird’s actual purpose is citizen science data collection, at which it is also unparalleled!) ### 5/5 — Love the app, please add these features! *2026-03-02* This is such a wonderful app and so easy to use. You would improve my life immeasurably by: 1. Making the input field for the search bar default to the text keyboard instead of the numeric keyboard; 2. Syncing draft checklists between mobile and desktop; 3. Increasing the distance range for hotspots on the map. Thank you!!! ### 5/5 — For Birders *2026-03-02* You cant claim to be a real birder without eBird tbh --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-31.*