eBird vs Raptor ID
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
eBird
Easily record bird sightings in the field and contribute to a global database for scientific research and conservation. This app offers offline functionality, customized checklists, and GPS-enabled location plotting.
- Record bird observations globally
- Global taxonomy and local common names
- Location and time-based checklists
- Rare species flagging
- Offline functionality
- GPS location plotting
- Trip and day list tracking
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eBird Mobile makes it easy to record the birds you see in the field, and seamlessly link these observations with eBird--a global online database of bird records used by hundreds of thousands of birders around the world. This free resource makes it easy to keep track of what you see, while making your data openly available for scientific research, education, and conservation. eBird Mobile is the only app that passes information directly from the iOS device to your eBird account on the web. Features - Enter bird observations from any location around the world. - Full global taxonomy based on The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. - Common names available in local languages (e.g., Portuguese names in Brazil or in Portugal). - Checklists customized for your location and time of year, showing most likely species based on eBird data. - Rare species flagged during data entry and on the checklist. - "Record as you go" functionality for incremental list keeping and counting while birding. - GPS enabled location plotting to ensure accuracy. - Map tools that enable selecting from hundreds of thousands of eBird "Hotspots." - Full offline functionality, enabling use in places with limited or no Internet connection. - Trip and Day list functionality that makes it easy to keep track of your species list on a particular outing. - Support for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. - Entire app translated to German, Mandarin, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Turkish, and Dutch.
Raptor ID
This app provides expert-level identification for North America's diurnal raptors. It features nearly 1000 annotated photos and videos to help users identify birds in flight, catering to both beginners and experienced birdwatchers.
- 1000+ annotated photos
- Identification videos in flight
- Range maps with eBird links
- Species vocalizations
- Expert Q&A forum
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The first raptor identification app designed for mobile devices; "HawkWatch International's Identification Guide to Raptors" puts expert hawk identification content in the palm of your hand. In this guide to North America's 34 species of diurnal raptors, you'll find nearly 1000 annotated photos, and cutting edge identification video for each species, geared toward helping you identify raptors in flight. If you're just getting started with birding, this app covers the basics; if you're already an expert hawk watcher, this app covers all the variation that can lead to identification confusion, even among the most seasoned birders. • Developed by HawkWatch International in partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology • Comprehensive identification content created by Jerry Liguori and Brian Sullivan • ~1000 annotated photos covering plumage, age/sex, and geographic variation • Cutting edge ID-focused video showing each species in flight, including voice-over ID tips from Jerry Liguori • Range maps with links to interactive seasonal eBird maps • Vocalizations for each species • 'Ask the authors' raptor ID question forum
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Raptor ID at 84% against eBird's 37%. Raptor ID also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.8) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). eBird's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Raptor ID holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: eBird has 803 ratings behind it against 44, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of eBird's written reviews are positive against 84% of Raptor ID's.
eBird ships an update monthly, Raptor ID every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and August 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | eBird | Raptor ID |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (803 ratings) | 4.5 (44 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 36.6% of reviews | 83.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 803 — better | 44 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Best chart rank | #112 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 81 MB | 766 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cornell University | HawkWatch International |
Customer experience
eBird
Raptor ID
Bugs and requests
eBird
Reported bugs
5 issues- 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
Requested features
5 requests- 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
Raptor ID
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
eBird
No in-app purchases
Raptor ID
No in-app purchases









