# Project FeederWatch — user reviews > 45 indexed App Store user reviews of Project FeederWatch by Cornell University, rated 3.00/5 from 68 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-feederwatch/id1439222765/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-feederwatch/id1439222765.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 25 · 4★ 3 · 3★ 9 · 2★ 10 · 1★ 21 ## Newest reviews (15 of 45) ### 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. ### 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. ### 3/5 — The update is not much of an improvement *2024-04-28* Disappointed in the update- it took YEARS for Cornell to update this app, unlike eBird or Merlin, which are updated now and then. And now it logs me out when I close the app, and when I log back in I have to swipe through the whole ‘welcome and here’s how to participate’ pages again- every single time. the larger layout is annoying, it just means less information fits on my screen. The extra reporting options are nice but overall they’ve made the app more annoying to use. ### 3/5 — room for improvement *2024-03-03, version 1.33.02* Unquestionably this app makes it easier to record FeederWatch data. However, it crashes/hangs regularly on my (always up-to-date) iPhone when switching between apps. It would also be improved by having a taxonomic sort option and the ability to enter data by alpha code. ### 2/5 — Needs work *2024-01-20, version 1.33.02* The app has several flaws. It frequently opens to a blank black screen. If birds are recorded on the app but submitted through a browser the app doesn’t recognize it. It’s then a difficult, sometimes impossible process to start a new count on the app. Sometimes entering the total observation doesn’t work unless you hold your tongue correctly and it’s easier to record the count incrementally. Tedious with large counts. ### 2/5 — App needs a lot of work... *2023-12-18* Be prepared to refresh this app frequently and be patient, as it is very poorly implemented. It freezes often, the link to "Contact Us" doesn't work, and sometimes needs to be rebooted before a count can be submitted. It feels like a student project that was never completed before the student graduated and left it unfinished. I mean how many apps need to "connect to server" before it can launch. The good thing is that the counts aren't lost during all the refreshes and reboots so eventually the count can get submitted , assuming you get past your frustration with using this poorly implemented app. ### 2/5 — Not ready for prime time *2023-11-15* I have used this app on my iPad for several seasons, but it is a pain to use. Sometimes it doesn’t want to recognize my login. Worse is it locks up for no clear reason. Just now it locked after I had entered most of my data. I won’t try again with this app, but enter data online. ### 3/5 — Great until yesterday *2023-03-01* Yesterday I was not able to enter our Feeder Watch count…the app, when it finally came up, just freezes. It is so disappointing! This is our second year counting for Feeder Watch and I’ve not had a problem recording the birds before. Prior to now, the app has been very easy to use. ### 4/5 — App freezes frequently on iPad Pro *2023-02-25* The last month or so I have been forced to close the app on numerous occasions and reload it in order to continue a count. I have been using this app for several seasons and generally it is an improvement over using paper forms and manually uploading data. But having to reload is getting old. Fortunately there has been no loss of data. One general issue from the beginning is there is no way to enter data offline. So if you are sitting in your yard out of range of your router, you must either keep a paper count or try to remember your sighting until you can get back online. E-Bird does not have this limitation but those counts cannot be used for FeederWatch. Looking forward to an update that will fix these issues. ### 3/5 — App is finicky and buggy *2023-01-28* I've been using this app for 3 winters now, and it's frustrating. It has always had problems syncing properly with the website. Now the most recent update, which fixed a login problem, causes the app to freeze up on my iPhone after using it for about 2 minutes. When this app works, it's convenient. I just wish it worked more consistently. ### 2/5 — Can’t alter/fix incorrect bird count *2022-11-10* This app is so frustrating I may quit Feeder Watch altogether, which is sad because I love birds. I’ve used this app for several hours and discovered it will not let me fix an incorrect bird ID. I can add sightings but not delete any of them after I hit one wrong button. It just won’t zero out that bird. It’s so discouraging that the app failed to work within minutes of me downloading it. So I’m going back to using the website on my phone, which also has drawbacks. Cornell’s computer engineering team was obviously not consulted by its ornithology department…or those schools are just very bad at what they are studying. ### 1/5 — Server issues *2022-03-31, version 1.1.17* I downloaded it and the server doesn’t want to connect ### 1/5 — Doesn’t connect *2021-05-08, version 1.1.17* I tried using this app last winter. At first it worked. Then it stopped working. Every time I tried to use it I got it an error message saying it couldn't connect with Feederwatch. ### 4/5 — Please fix *2021-03-24, version 1.1.17* Please fix the app! I open the app, I seems like I’m getting in then the screen goes all black. Nothing ### 3/5 — no help. they do not keep up with updates *2021-03-22* No effective help. No way to see site details, including address, of your own site, just payment/fundraising information. Every time Apple updates their software, logins become a nightmare for months. This is my last year. I have pads full of data that I never got on the system . I spend more time wrestling with the app than counting birds. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 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. ### 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. ### 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. ### 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? ### 1/5 — Nuisance *2024-02-12, version 1.33.02* App almost never works. Connection fails repeatedly and overall is slow to respond even if you can connect. I try to use it but find myself using the website instead. May as well delete the app. ### 1/5 — Makes the count harder *2023-11-17, version 1.33.02* This is duplicative since it doesn’t have all functions of count, and it does not save counts of birds not on the expected species list. I will have to use paper and submit on the website (I would have to submit/edit on the website even if I did use the app). ### 1/5 — App is very frustrating *2023-11-09* Frequent freezes and ‘server’ problems. I am not a novice when it comes to apps and servers. 🤷‍♀️I’m standing next to the modem. And have no trouble with any other apps. Can’t understand why someone can’t fix the glitches. ### 1/5 — The android app worked last year, iPhone does not *2022-11-20, version 1.30.07* I’m not able to login. Keeps saying that my login or password is incorrect (it’s not) or that my account is new and hasn’t been activated (it’s not new). Just have to go back to paper this year. This app has always been bad - infrequently updated , not much response from Cornell. Their other apps are really good. I don’t know why this one is so bad. It’s really discouraging since again we all pay to participate in this project. ### 1/5 — Terrible won’t let me log in *2022-10-25* This app is horrible, I can’t even use it. I made a account twice and I activated it. When ever I tried to log in, it would show the same message. The message would say my account hasn’t been activated yet. Even though I clearly activated it. It will not let me log in at all. Horrible. ### 1/5 — Latest update doesn’t work *2022-05-06, version 1.30.05* Downloaded update on May 6 and it doesn’t work at all. Directs me to log in on the Cornell web site, which I successfully do, but app still does not load any of my previously submitted info. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 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) ### 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) ### 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. ### 5/5 — Works good now *2023-01-23, version 1.32.00* Updated my review after I realized the username has to be entered with the uppercase or lowercase letters exactly to login. Once I did that, everything seems to be working well. It’s odd that it forces case structure since I don’t have that problem elsewhere. ### 5/5 — All in one place *2020-12-02* I have been doing FeederWatch for 20 years. My daughter pointed this ap out to me. Love it! All I need is the app and my binocs. So quick and easy and all the bird info is right there. Highly recommend! ### 5/5 — Data entry *2020-02-15* So much easier to record all the bird counts for FeederWatch. Thank you. ### 5/5 — Love it! Thanks for creating this app! *2020-01-19* Used this app on my iPad for the first time this weekend (Jan 18-19, 2020). Very easy to use & submit count. Froze if I left the app open too long (hours) but just closed it & reopened; all my count data was retained. This is great! ### 5/5 — Very convenient! *2020-01-18* A lot easier to submit counts rather than transferring from the paper form (and saves some paper too). Great improvement! ### 5/5 — Fits my methods and saves steps! *2020-01-17* I use my iPad and record counts in a spreadsheet. This is much more convenient to use, and I can enter data into the website directly from the app rather than re-typing it all. --- *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.*