BirdTrack is an online
citizen science
The term citizen science (synonymous to terms like community science, crowd science, crowd-sourced science, civic science, participatory monitoring, or volunteer monitoring) is research conducted with participation from the general public, or am ...
website, operated by the
British Trust for Ornithology
The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is an organisation founded in 1932 for the study of birds in the British Isles. The William, Prince of Wales, Prince of Wales has been patron since October 2020.
History
Beginning
In 1931 Max Nicholson ...
(BTO) on behalf of a partnership of the BTO, the
RSPB
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a Charitable_organization#United_Kingdom, charitable organisation registered in Charity Commission for England and Wales, England and Wales and in Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, ...
,
BirdWatch Ireland, the
Scottish Ornithologists' Club and the
Welsh Ornithological Society ().
It is also available though
mobile app
A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a smartphone, phone, tablet computer, tablet, or smartwatch, watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop appli ...
s.
BirdTrack allows birdwatchers to record the names and numbers of birds seen in a specified location anywhere in the world.
It acts as a log for those wishing to maintain lists of their own sightings,
but also feeds data into various scientific surveys,
is used for research and conservation purposes,
and generates maps for public consumption. The maps are rendered using
OpenStreetMap
OpenStreetMap (abbreviated OSM) is a free, Open Database License, open geographic database, map database updated and maintained by a community of volunteers via open collaboration. Contributors collect data from surveying, surveys, trace from Ae ...
data.
BirdTrack is part of
WorldBirds, a global initiative to record bird sightings.
In October 2014, data from BirdTrack was used as evidence in the conviction of a gamekeeper for illegally killing ten
Common Buzzard
The common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') is a medium-to-large bird of prey which has a large range. It is a member of the genus '' Buteo'' in the family Accipitridae. The species lives in most of Europe and extends its breeding range across much of ...
s and a
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
The Eurasian sparrowhawk (''Accipiter nisus''), also known as the northern sparrowhawk or simply the sparrowhawk, is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Adult male Eurasian sparrowhawks have bluish grey upperparts and orange-barred ...
.
References
External links
* (web interface; login required)
*
* {{YouTube , id=Fdwo_F0WBaY , title=BirdTrack iPhone app tutorial
British science websites
Citizen science
Ornithology in the United Kingdom
Ornithology in Ireland
Ornithological atlases
Online databases