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Best E Birder Apps

247+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

3.7 avg rating
19 free apps
Updated October 2026

Out of 247+ e birder apps on iOS, 19 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 E Birder Apps (October 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1eBirdeBirdFree3.8β˜… (825)NoNoOct 2026
2Merlin Bird ID by Cornell LabMerlin Bird ID by Cornell LabFree4.9β˜… (114K)NoNoOct 2026
3Audubon Bird GuideAudubon Bird GuideFree4.3β˜… (4.5K)YesNoOct 2026
4eBird ExplorereBird ExplorerFreeβ€”NoNoMay 2026
5eBird Alert!eBird Alert!Free4.8β˜… (8)NoNoOct 2026
6Birder AI: Bird ID & Life ListBirder AI: Bird ID & Life ListFreeβ€”NoYesOct 2026
7Lifer - Bird ID & BirdingLifer - Bird ID & BirdingFree5.0β˜… (2)YesYesOct 2026
8eBird QueryeBird Query$0.995.0β˜… (3)NoNoOct 2026

Top Picks for E Birder

eBird#1

eBird by Cornell University

Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Editor's Choice
πŸ” Reference
3.8😐(825 ratings)
Free
eBird screenshot 1
eBird screenshot 2
eBird screenshot 3
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
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab#2

Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab by Cornell University

Identify Birds You See & Hear
Strong Contender
πŸ” Reference
4.9😊(114K ratings)
Free
#20in Reference
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab screenshot 1
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Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab screenshot 3
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab screenshot 4
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab screenshot 5
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab screenshot 6

Easily identify birds by sight or sound using advanced machine learning. Explore birds in your region, track your sightings, and learn about species with photos, sounds, and range maps. This free app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology helps build your birding skills.

What We Love

  • πŸš€ Helpful for bird identification
  • πŸ”’ Accurate bird identification
  • πŸ‘ Easy to use
  • πŸ‘ Useful for beginners and experts
  • πŸ‘ Enjoyable and fun to use
  • πŸ‘ Comprehensive bird information
  • πŸ‘ Excellent sound identification feature
  • πŸ‘ Connects with eBird
  • πŸ‘ Free app with no ads

Room to Improve

  • πŸ› Sound ID not always accurate
  • πŸ› Occasional crashes or bugs
  • πŸ› Difficulty adding birds to life list
  • πŸ› Limited bird packs for certain regions
  • πŸ› Requires location access
  • πŸ› High battery consumption
  • πŸ› Confusing user interface in some areas
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 3
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 E Birder apps to explore

FAQ about E Birder

What are the best e birder apps for iPhone?
eBird tops our e birder apps ranking as of October 2026, with a 3.8-star average from 825 App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes β€” 19 of the top e birder apps we rank are free to download, including eBird and Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab.
eBird has no ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of October 2026.
We track 247+ e birder apps on the iOS App Store as of October 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.