Bird Counter
A tally for bird counts: add a counter per species, tap as you spot them, and keep a time-stamped record.
Chart: counts and timeline
Settings: step, start value, target
How to use the bird counter
Rename each counter to a species (tap the name), and press + Add species as new ones turn up, up to 50. Tap a species' number to add one bird, or use + and −. For a flock, open Settings and set Count by to 5 or 10, then set it back to 1.
Total adds up every bird. Download CSV lists the count per species and every change with its time, which helps when you enter the results into a survey form later.
For a single species, the tally counter shows the marks in groups of five as you go. The same counters work for any survey: see the multi counter and the traffic counter.
Print blank sheet prints a field sheet with site, date, start time, end time, observer and weather lines and 25 rows for species, tally and count. Print sheet prints your count per species. The chart compares species, and Share link makes a link with your species list and counts.
Counting a large flock
When birds are too many to count one by one, a common method is to count a block of 10, judge how much of the flock that block covers, and count the flock in blocks of that size. For bigger flocks, use blocks of 50 or 100. Set Count by in Settings to your block size, tap once per block, then set it back to 1 for single birds.
Write down where and when you counted before you start: the CSV keeps the time of every tap, but not the place.
Keyboard shortcuts
- 1 to 9: add one to species 1 to 9
- Shift + number: take one off
- U or Ctrl+Z: undo
Questions
Does it identify birds?
No. It is a tally: you decide the species and it keeps the count.
Does it work in the field without signal?
Yes, once the page has been opened with a connection. Counts are saved on your phone as you go, and nothing is uploaded.
Can I count a big flock quickly?
Yes. Set Count by in Settings to 5, 10 or any number, so each tap adds that many.
Can I add a species in the middle of a count?
Yes. Press + Add species at any time and name it; the counts you already have are kept.
More counters tools
Put this bird counter on your website
Free for classrooms, clubs, blogs and shops: paste this code into any page. It works the same inside your site, and counts stay in each visitor's own browser. For a dark version, add ?theme=dark after /bird-counter/ in the code.