# Project FeederWatch

> Citizen science app for reporting winter bird feeder counts in North America. (iPhone/iPad app by Cornell University.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-feederwatch/id1439222765 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Cornell University](https://appshunter.io/developer/382072985)
- Category: Education, Lifestyle
- Price: Free
- Rating: 3.00/5 from 68 App Store ratings · 45 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 63 MB
- Languages: American English, French (France)
- Released: 2019-11-25
- Data updated: 2026-08-19
- Monetization: ad-supported
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-feederwatch/id1439222765/reviews.md

## What is Project FeederWatch?

Do you feed birds? You can report what you see for science. Project FeederWatch, a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada, monitors winter feeder-bird populations in North America. The FeederWatch Mobile App is a new way for Project FeederWatch members to contribute their bird counts.

Sign in to:
 
•Report birds that visit your count site in winter (US and Canada only)
•Track your sighting statistics in real time
•Access your archive of past counts from all years
•Contribute to North America’s largest database on feeder birds
•Find out what food and feeder types work best for the birds overwintering near you
•Identify and learn about feeder birds
 
FeederWatch Mobile automatically syncs with the web version for seamless multi-platform support. Your data become immediately available for scientific research, education, and conservation. Thank you for helping birds!

## Key features

- Report winter bird sightings
- Track sighting statistics
- Access past count archives
- Contribute to bird population database
- Discover best food and feeder types
- Identify and learn about feeder birds

## Recent user reviews (10 of 45)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-feederwatch/id1439222765/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Cornell is turning into a money suck

*2026-04-30, version 2.4.44*

I love watching and recording birds. I have participated in the feeder watch program in previous years. I donate to the Cornell’s efforts when I can and have a subscription so I was appalled when I found out you know heave to pay even more money to participate in this program. I’m on a fixed income- very disappointing so I will probably drop my subscription next year and definitely stop donating. This is no longer a non-profit for a good cause.

### 5/5 — Easy and Fun to Use

*2026-02-20, version 2.4.44*

Update 2: Feb2026 Using for a couple months now and rock solid. The reviews about bugs are outdated. Update: just updated to version 2.4.42 (19Nov2025) and it seems to work well now. Good support and responsive to the bugs which were in the previous versions. This app is generally simple to use and straightforward. Make it very simple to track bird sightings at the bird feeder. Nice interface and also neat data summaries available. (Note: previous versions were buggy, but this version seems to be fixed)

### 1/5 — This app doesn’t even deserve a star

*2025-12-22, version 2.4.42*

I thought that this app would be a great experience for me to help log bird counts but no. Apparently you would have to pay a freaking $18!!
This app is completely useless for those who would rather spend $18 on something else.

### 5/5 — Easy and Fun to Use

*2025-11-20, version 2.4.42*

Update: just updated to version 2.4.42 (19Nov2025) and it seems to work well now. Good support and responsive to the bugs which were in the previous versions. This app is generally simple to use and straightforward. Make it very simple to track bird sightings at the bird feeder. Nice interface and also neat data summaries available. (Note: previous versions were buggy, but this version seems to be fixed)

### 1/5 — Buggy - Birds saved, then disappear

*2025-11-08*

Update: just updated to version 2.4.36 and it still losing birds that I entered. Viewing gallery and there are 16 birds, back out to main screen and it says there are 14 birds. Buggy.  This app is generally simple to use and straightforward. The problem is that after entering birds they later can just disappear for no reason. For some reason, the counts get lost. Kind of makes it hard to take part in this project and makes you wonder what kind of data is actually being submitted. Probably not very reliable data with this app currently.

**Developer response:** Hello, we have been trying to track down this issue but have not seen it on our end. Is there any way you can take a screen capture and send it to our support email? (feederwatch@cornell.edu) 

Please use subject line “iOS Screen capture”

Thank you. I assure you we are working hard to get to the bottom of this.

### 2/5 — Buggy - please do better

*2025-11-04*

This is my first year participating in FeederWatch. The app seems pretty straightforward, but entries of species counts, interactions etc. are not saved consistently. I looked at my entries from last night, and only a part of the data had been recorded. I re-entered the missing entries. I checked the count records several hours later, and a different set was saved with several missing. Re-entered AGAIN, and checked several minutes later. Rinse and repeat. This is maddening and discourages me from participating further.

**Developer response:** Thank you for your honest review. We hope you will give us another chance and try version 2.4.42 currently on the App Store which fixes the problem you described.

### 1/5 — 2025 FeederWatch Made Impossible

*2025-11-01, version 2.4.29*

I paid to join FeederWatch for this year and I already cannot track this morning because it keeps deleting my counts. What is going on?

### 5/5 — Works well, easy to use

*2025-01-13*

This is as easy to use as the website. Easier really since it’s an app so I don’t have to sign in every time. I just love this program, watching and recording our avian visitors brings moments of joy to even the most stressful days.

### 5/5 — Works well

*2024-12-27*

I just started using this app, can’t say I’ve had any of the issues that other users have mentioned. They’ve either been fixed or just don’t apply to my use case.

### 2/5 — Oof

*2024-05-02*

Clunky. Barely functional on iPad. Better on computer but not by much. Unnecessary sidebar menu for a single page scroll. Update seems overworked for such a simple use. Buttons to select deselect without tapping or just don’t take and highlighting isn’t contrasting enough.

## Frequently asked questions about Project FeederWatch

### What does Project FeederWatch do?

Project FeederWatch is a citizen science project that monitors winter bird feeder populations across North America. The app allows members to easily report the birds they see at their feeders, contributing valuable data for scientific research, education, and conservation efforts.

### What are the key features of the FeederWatch Mobile App?

The app allows users to report birds visiting their count sites, track their sighting statistics in real-time, and access an archive of past counts. It also helps users discover effective food and feeder types and identify various feeder birds.

### Is Project FeederWatch free to use?

The app is free to download and use. However, it does display advertisements. Participation in the Project FeederWatch program itself may have associated costs or requirements, which are managed through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada.

### What are the system requirements for the app?

The app is designed for mobile use and automatically syncs with the web version, indicating compatibility with both iOS and Android devices. Specific version requirements are not detailed in the provided description but are generally expected to be current mobile operating systems.

### Who can use this app and for what purpose?

This app is intended for individuals in the US and Canada who feed birds. Users can contribute to North America's largest database on feeder birds, helping scientists understand population trends and inform conservation strategies. It's also a great tool for learning about local bird species.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.5.3 — 2026-08-17

Behind the scenes updates and improvements

### 2.4.45 — 2026-05-20

Bug fixes and performance improvements

### 2.4.44 — 2026-01-16

Bug fixes and performance updates

### 2.4.42 — 2025-11-19

Previously, using the search box when counting would cause the app to stop saving data. We think you should be able to use the search box so we fixed this bug! We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Thank you for FeederWatching!

### 2.4.36 — 2025-11-08

We have been working hard to fix some bugs that were identified during the start of the season.

Happy FeederWatching!

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## More apps by Cornell University

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All apps by Cornell University: https://appshunter.io/developer/382072985

## Related topics

[feeder watch](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/feeder-watch) · [cornell ornithology](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cornell-ornithology) · [nestwatch by the cornell lab](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/nestwatch-by-the-cornell-lab) · [cornell nest watch](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cornell-nest-watch) · [cornell ebird](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cornell-ebird)

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*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 2026-08-19.*