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Best Bird Sightings Apps

250+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.5 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated September 2026

Out of 250+ bird sightings apps on iOS, 20 are free and the rest sit in the paid tier. This page sorts them so you can compare both sides before you commit.

Compare top Bird Sightings Apps (September 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1eBirdeBirdFree3.8β˜… (803)NoNoOct 2026
2Birda - Bird Watching, BirdingBirda - Bird Watching, BirdingFree4.7β˜… (2.3K)NoYesSep 2026
3Audubon Bird GuideAudubon Bird GuideFree4.3β˜… (4.5K)YesNoOct 2026
4BirdAlertPROBirdAlertPROFreeβ€”NoNoSep 2026
5Merlin Bird ID by Cornell LabMerlin Bird ID by Cornell LabFree4.9β˜… (113K)NoNoOct 2026
6Bird Tracker - Sightings MapBird Tracker - Sightings MapFreeβ€”NoYesSep 2026
7Birdar: Track and Find BirdsBirdar: Track and Find BirdsFreeβ€”NoNoAug 2026
8MyBirdBookMyBirdBookFreeβ€”NoNoJul 2026

Top Picks for Bird Sightings

eBird#1

eBird by Cornell University

Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Editor's Choice
πŸ” Reference
3.8😐(803 ratings)
Free
eBird screenshot 1
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eBird screenshot 4
eBird screenshot 5

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.

What We Love

  • πŸš€ Excellent for citizen science
  • πŸ” Helpful for finding birds at hotspots
  • πŸ“š Useful for tracking life lists
  • πŸ‘ Easy to use and submit checklists
  • 🀝 Integrates well with Merlin Bird ID

Room to Improve

  • πŸ› Frequent crashes and bugs
  • πŸ”‹ High battery consumption
  • πŸ“ Issues with location tracking and mapping
  • πŸ€” Unintuitive user interface
  • πŸ”’ Privacy concerns with location data
Birda - Bird Watching, Birding#2

Birda - Bird Watching, Birding by Chirp Birding Ltd.

eBird Import & AI Identifier
Strong Contender
πŸ” Reference
4.7😊(2.3K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Birda - Bird Watching, Birding screenshot 1
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Birda - Bird Watching, Birding screenshot 4
Birda - Bird Watching, Birding screenshot 5
Birda - Bird Watching, Birding screenshot 6

This app helps you identify birds using AI, track your sightings, and build life lists. Connect with a global community, discover new species, and contribute to conservation efforts. It also allows for easy import of your existing birding data.

What We Love

  • πŸ‘ Friendly and helpful community
  • πŸ“š Informative bird guides and species information
  • 🎯 Challenges and badges to encourage birding
  • πŸ“Έ Easy to log and share bird sightings
  • πŸ—ΊοΈ Ability to see nearby bird sightings
  • πŸ†• Beginner-friendly and intuitive to use

Room to Improve

  • πŸ› Bugs and glitches (crashes, slow loading, etc.)
  • πŸ’° Paid subscription required for some features
  • πŸ” Limited bird species coverage in some areas
  • πŸ”’ Privacy concerns with full camera roll access
  • πŸ—ΊοΈ Nearby sightings radius too large for some users
Audubon Bird Guide#3

Audubon Bird Guide by National Audubon Society

Identify over 800 bird species
Worth Considering
πŸ” Reference
4.3😊(4.5K ratings)
FreeAds
Audubon Bird Guide screenshot 1
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Audubon Bird Guide screenshot 4
Audubon Bird Guide screenshot 5

Identify North American birds with this comprehensive field guide. Features include a bird ID tool based on observations, detailed species information with photos and audio, and a personal sightings log. Discover nearby birding locations and connect with conservation efforts.

What We Love

  • πŸš€ Great app
  • πŸ‘ Easy to use
  • πŸ” Helpful for identifying birds
  • 🎢 Useful bird calls and sounds
  • πŸ“ Provides location-based bird sightings
  • πŸ—ΊοΈ Detailed range maps
  • 🀝 Supports community features
  • πŸ’° Free app with great value

Room to Improve

  • πŸ› Buggy and crashes
  • πŸ”„ Confusing interface changes
  • πŸ”’ Requires account creation
  • πŸ“ Limited location-based features
  • πŸ—ΊοΈ Outdated or incomplete range maps
  • 🎢 Missing bird calls and sounds
  • πŸ–ΌοΈ Poor photo quality and functionality

More Bird Sightings apps to explore

FAQ about Bird Sightings

What are the best bird sightings apps for iPhone?
eBird tops our bird sightings apps ranking as of September 2026, with a 3.8-star average from 803 App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes β€” 20 of the top bird sightings apps we rank are free to download, including eBird and Birda - Bird Watching, Birding.
eBird has no ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of September 2026.
We track 250+ bird sightings apps on the iOS App Store as of September 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.