EBird

Name

EBird

Legal name

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Website

https://ebird.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ithaca

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: eBird is supported entirely by grants, sponsors, and donations. It is a nonprofit initiative managed by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. No revenue is generated directly from user subscriptions or data access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

eBird is a free, real-time, online citizen science platform operated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that enables the worldwide birding community to submit, share, and access standardized bird observation data. Users record birding checklists via web and mobile apps (iOS/Android, 27 languages), explore real-time species distribution maps, find birding hotspots, track personal lists, and access AI-powered bird identification through Merlin Bird ID. The platform aggregates crowdsourced data into the world's largest biodiversity-related science dataset, supporting research, conservation, and education.

Product overview

EBird is a free citizen science platform and online database operated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The core product is the eBird platform (website and mobile app) where birders submit checklists documenting bird sightings. Key sub-products include Merlin Bird ID (AI-powered bird identification app), regional portals (localized versions managed by partners), Bird Academy (educational courses), Macaulay Library (scientific media archive), and eBird Status and Trends (abundance analytics). The platform supports over 100 million bird sightings annually from 1.35 million eBirders worldwide, with 10,984 species documented across 130 million checklists. Regional portals provide localized experiences for specific countries and regions. Bird atlases enable collaborative documentation of breeding bird distributions. Additional features include species maps, hotspot exploration, personal list tracking (My eBird), rare bird alerts, target species recommendations, and competitive leaderboards (Top 100). The platform integrates with Merlin Bird ID for AI identification and Macaulay Library for media archival.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• eBird Free global online birding database and citizen science platform where birders submit checklists, explore species maps and hotspots, track personal lists, and contribute to bird conservation science. Operated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and accessible worldwide via web and mobile.
• eBird Mobile Free mobile app for iOS and Android enabling offline bird sighting data entry, personal list management, and statistics in the field. Available in 27 languages on iOS App Store and Google Play Store.
• Merlin Bird ID Free AI-powered bird identification app that uses photos, audio recordings, and location data to identify bird species. Powered by computer vision and audio processing models trained on eBird sightings and media.
• Macaulay Library World's premier scientific archive of natural history audio, video, and photographs. Archives bird media from eBird checklists and provides media for bird identification and scientific research.
• eBird Regional Portals Localized versions of eBird managed by 50+ regional partner organizations providing regional birding expertise and data for specific countries and regions (e.g., eBird India, eBird Australia, eBird Caribbean, eBird Costa Rica).
• eBird Status and Trends Interactive abundance maps and population trend data for bird species worldwide, derived from eBird checklist data. Includes weekly bar charts and seasonal patterns.
• Bird Academy Educational platform partnered with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology offering birding courses including eBird Essentials, bird painting, gardening for birds, and nests and eggs courses.
• Bird Atlases Collaborative atlas projects documenting bird distribution and breeding patterns across regions. Active atlases include California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Taiwan Bird Atlases.

Quantifiable outcome

• On 9 May 2026, Global Big Day set a world record with 8,000+ bird species documented in a single day by the eBirding community.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and regional.

• Cornell Lab of OrnithologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnereBird is a project of and managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a nonprofit membership institution that interprets and conserves the earth's biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. The Lab provides institutional infrastructure, scientific expertise, and staffing.
• National Audubon SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Audubon Society is a founding partner of eBird, dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. Audubon centers, science programs, and advocacy engage millions in conservation.
• Macaulay LibrarycoreTechnology or IntegrationPhotos, audio recordings, and videos added to eBird checklists are archived in the Macaulay Library—one of the world's most valuable repositories of wildlife media for scientific research. Deep data integration connects eBird sightings with associated media.
• ZEISS Sports OpticsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerZEISS is the official optics sponsor for eBird and sponsors the eBirder of the Month challenges. ZEISS provides prizes (binoculars) for challenge winners and supports eBird's mission financially. Richard Moncrief, Birding and Nature Observation Segment Manager at ZEISS, has publicly praised the partnership.
• BirdLife InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirdLife International is a global partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity. eBird data supports BirdLife's conservation work worldwide.
• Wetlands InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWetlands International globally coordinates the Asian Waterbird Census, which uses eBird for data collection and management. This partnership enables systematic waterbird monitoring across Asia.
• Bird Count IndiaregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBird Count India collaborates with eBird for nationwide bird monitoring initiatives in India, organizing events like the Great Backyard Bird Count. Their mission is to document bird distribution and abundance across India.
• Birds CanadaregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit charitable organization built on contributions of thousands of caring members and volunteer Citizen Scientists. Their mission is to conserve wild birds through sound science, on-the-ground actions, and public engagement.
• BirdsCaribbeanregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest single bird conservation organization in the Greater Caribbean region. Manages eBird Caribbean regional portal. Works to conserve Caribbean birds through research, education, and capacity building.
• eBird Regional Portals (50+ organizations)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor50+ regional teams managed by local partners provide regionalized versions of eBird with local information, birding expertise, and outreach. Includes portals for USA states, Canada provinces, European countries, Asian nations, and more.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• iNaturalist: iNaturalist is a citizen science platform where users record and share observations of any species (plants, animals, fungi). It is the closest direct peer to eBird in terms of crowdsourced biodiversity data, mobile-first submission, and integration with AI identification, though it covers all taxa rather than specializing in birds.

Emerging players

• Zooniverse: Zooniverse is the largest online platform for volunteer-led citizen science research, hosting hundreds of projects across astronomy, ecology, and biology. It overlaps with eBird in the citizen science model and academic research user base, but focuses on structured project tasks rather than open biodiversity checklists.
• Pl@ntNet: Pl@ntNet is a citizen science platform focused on plant identification using AI-powered photo recognition. It mirrors eBird's Merlin Bird ID approach (AI identification from user-uploaded images) but targets the plant kingdom, making it a strong adjacent emerging player in crowdsourced biodiversity AI.
• BirdsEye (by Birds in the Hand, LLC): BirdsEye is a birding mobile app that aggregates sightings (historically including eBird data) to help birders find target species nearby. It competes with eBird Mobile for field-use utility and represents an emerging player in the birding-app category.
• Sibley Guides (David Sibley): Sibley Guides publishes authoritative bird identification field guides and a dedicated mobile app. It competes with Merlin Bird ID and eBird-affiliated All About Birds for birder identification and educational content.
• Journey North: Journey North is a citizen science platform tracking wildlife migration and seasonal change, including robins, monarchs, and hummingbirds. It overlaps with eBird in volunteer-driven biodiversity observation but focuses on migration phenology rather than comprehensive species checklists.
• Project Noah: Project Noah was a citizen science platform for documenting urban wildlife through user-submitted photos and observations. It is comparable to eBird in crowdsourced species documentation but covers broader taxa with a more photo-driven, social-network design.

Broad incumbents

• National Audubon Society: The National Audubon Society is a broad incumbent in bird conservation, education, and citizen engagement, and a founding partner of eBird itself. Audubon operates the Christmas Bird Count, owns extensive birding content and apps, and overlaps with eBird in conservation data and birder community.
• BirdLife International: BirdLife International is a global partnership of conservation organizations and the authoritative source for IUCN Red List bird assessments. It is a strategic partner of eBird and represents the institutional conservation incumbent whose work increasingly depends on eBird's data.

Others

• Great Backyard Bird Count (Cornell Lab / Audubon): The Great Backyard Bird Count is a flagship annual citizen science event co-organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon. It runs on the eBird platform and represents an ecosystem initiative rather than an independent competitor, illustrating how eBird is embedded in the broader birding infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ebird
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/eBirdScience
• Xx.com/Team_eBird
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ebird

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EBird