Live Bird Sightings Screensaver
The Live Bird Sightings screensaver streams real recent bird observation checklists from eBird, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's global birding database. It is free, runs in your browser, and ESC exits.
Live preview
Press ESC to leave fullscreen. Settings are saved in your browser only.
How the Live Bird Sightings screensaver works
The saver reads real recent observation checklists from the eBird API for your chosen region.
Each entry shows a real species, location and observer-reported count.
The pipeline refreshes the feed regularly as new checklists are submitted.
A free eBird API key is required for this endpoint.
How eBird gathers its sightings
eBird is a citizen-science project run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, in which birdwatchers submit lists of the birds they saw or heard, along with where and when they looked. Its records are widely used in studies of bird distribution, migration and population trends.
The basic unit is the checklist, a list of species with counts from one outing. Counts are the observer’s own estimates, and an observer who identified a species but did not count it can enter an X, which records only that the species was present. Observers are encouraged to add notes, photos or recordings for rarities.
Data quality relies on automated filters that compare each observation’s species, count, location and date with expected values. Unusual records are flagged and stay hidden from the public until a volunteer regional reviewer evaluates the documentation; the reviewer may ask the observer for more detail. Accepted records become public, while those without enough support stay visible only to the observer. Some sensitive species are hidden from public output altogether. The stream reflects where people choose to submit checklists, not a uniform survey of where birds are.
A worked example
A checklist reporting 12 real Northern Cardinals at a real park scrolls past exactly as submitted by the birder who logged it.
Settings & tips
- Region switches which country's real sightings scroll past.
- Species names and counts are real, as submitted by real birders.
- Accent recolours the ticker text.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this real bird data?
- Yes — real observation checklists from eBird, submitted by real birders.
- Is a key needed?
- Yes, a free eBird API key is required to activate this feed.
- Does it show my local sightings?
- It shows a chosen region's real recent checklists, not GPS-personalized results.
- Is it free?
- Yes — free, no download, in your browser.
- Do sightings get checked?
- Automated filters flag unusual records, such as rare, out-of-season or high-count observations. Flagged records stay hidden from the public until a volunteer regional reviewer evaluates them.
- What does an X mean in place of a count?
- The observer identified the species but did not count it. An X records only that the species was present.
- Why might some species not appear in the feed?
- eBird hides certain sensitive species from public output, and records that fail review are not shown publicly.