Help & Support

You need a free eBird API key to use this tool. Here's how to get one:

1. Visit ebird.org/api/keygen
2. Sign in with your eBird account (or create one for free)
3. Fill out the short form requesting API access
4. Copy the API key that's generated
5. Paste it into the "eBird API Key" field on the main page

Your API key is typically issued immediately. Check the "Remember my API key" box to save it for future visits. Once a key is saved, the card collapses to a single "eBird API key saved" line; click Change to edit or replace it.

Yes. Your API key is stored only in your browser's local storage on your device. It is never sent to any server except eBird's API when making requests for hotspot data.

If you clear your browser data or use a different browser/device, you'll need to enter your API key again.

This tool combines data from several free services:

• eBird (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) - Hotspot locations and bird observation data
• LocationIQ - Address geocoding (converting addresses to coordinates)
• OpenStreetMap - Map tiles and driving route calculations
• Open-Meteo - Weather conditions for birding insights

No, eBird API keys are for personal use only. Each user should request their own free API key from eBird. Sharing API keys violates eBird's terms of service and could result in the key being revoked.

Birding Hotspots Finder is a free, non-commercial tool designed for educational purposes and personal birding trip planning. It helps birders discover nearby hotspots, plan birding routes, and generate reports for their personal use.

This tool is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cornell Lab of Ornithology or eBird. All eBird data accessed through this tool is subject to the eBird Data Access Terms of Use.

It is a one-click shortcut for the most common search. Clicking it switches to the Near a place tab, asks your browser for your current location, and immediately runs the search using whatever sort, range, and count you have set under Advanced Options.

You still need an eBird API key. If the key is missing you will see the usual "API key required" message.

Yes. Your sort method, search range, and number of hotspots are saved in your browser and restored the next time you open the tool. A shared link that specifies its own options takes precedence for that visit.

The tabs at the top of the search card switch between three modes:

• Near a place - Find the best birding hotspots within a circular radius around one location, ranked by your chosen sort.
• Along a route - Find hotspots along an actual driving path between two locations. Ideal for road trips where you want to stop at birding spots without going too far off your route.
• A species - Search for recent sightings of one bird species near a location.

Under the location form, a one-line summary shows your current range, hotspot count, and sort ("Within 10 mi · Top 10 · Most species"). Click Change to open Advanced Options.

This is a limitation of the eBird API. Their hotspot search endpoint only returns results within a 50km radius. For longer distances, use the Along a route tab, which searches along your entire driving path.

When you choose the A species tab:

1. Start typing a bird name (common or scientific) in the search box
2. Select the species from the dropdown suggestions
3. Click "Find [Species Name]" to search for recent sightings

Results show locations where that species has been observed within your search range and timeframe, sorted by distance from your location.

In Along a route mode, this slider controls how far off your driving path you're willing to go to visit a hotspot.

• 3-5 miles - Only shows hotspots very close to your route
• 10-15 miles - Includes hotspots further from the route, giving you more options but longer detours

Yes. In Near a place mode you can toggle between "Address" and "GPS Coordinates" input modes. Enter your latitude and longitude values directly (e.g., 40.7128 for latitude and -74.0060 for longitude).

You can also click "Use My Current Location" to automatically detect your position using your device's GPS.

Search Range controls how far from your location to search:

• 10 miles - Focused search for nearby hotspots
• 20 miles - Moderate range for more options
• 31 miles - Maximum range (eBird API limit)

Number of Hotspots controls how many results to include:

• 10 hotspots - Quick results, faster loading
• 20 hotspots - Balanced option
• 30 hotspots - Comprehensive results (may take longer to load)

After entering a location, a map preview appears showing the exact coordinates that will be searched. This helps you verify the location is correct before generating results, especially useful when addresses might have multiple matches or when using GPS coordinates.

You can click "Open in Google Maps" to view the location in more detail.

It is the row of up to three answer cards at the top of the results: the hotspot with the most species in the last 30 days, the closest one, and the one with the freshest sighting (the most recently reported rare or target species). Each card shows a one-line reason (the fresh bird, species this month, drive time, targets) plus See details, which jumps to that hotspot's card, and Directions.

If one hotspot wins in more than one category the labels are combined on a single card, and the freshest-sighting card is left out when no hotspot has a recent rare or target sighting. If a filter hides the winning hotspot you will see a short notice instead.

Each card opens with one line (species this month, drive time or distance, and quality with visit count), then a row of badges:

• RARE · bird name: the hotspot has at least one species that eBird flagged as rare or unusual for that place and season. The freshest one is named; "+N" means more.
• N targets: that many species at the hotspot are not on the list you imported.
• Fresh today / Fresh yesterday: a rare or target species was reported there in the last day.
• Well-Established: 500 or more checklists have been submitted there, so it is a popular, reliable spot.
• Active: 50 or more checklists. Regularly birded.
• New Spot: fewer than 50 checklists. Little data yet, and possibly under-birded.

A purple For you row lists the target and rare birds worth the trip with how recently each was reported. Hover over any badge for the same explanation, or open Filters in the results header and expand "What do the badges mean?" for a keyboard-reachable legend. A hotspot is a public birding location tracked on eBird, a checklist is one birder's report of a visit, and a lifer is a species you have never seen before.

Behind the single Details toggle at the bottom of each card. It reveals the notable sightings and potential lifers lists, the weather badge with sunrise and sunset, the address, the full species list with the Copy List button and recency dots, and the seasonal best-time chart and tips. The hint next to "Details" tells you what is inside before you open it.

Use the Sort dropdown in the results header (or the same choice under Advanced Options before searching):

• Most species - Hotspots with the highest number of unique bird species observed in the last 30 days appear first
• Closest - Hotspots nearest to your location (straight-line distance) appear first
• Shortest drive - Hotspots with the shortest actual driving time from your location appear first
• Freshest sightings - Hotspots with the most recently reported targets and notable species appear first

The Filters button next to it narrows the list to hotspots with notable species, with targets, or with at least a minimum species count, and shows how many filters are active.

The species count shows the number of unique bird species observed at that hotspot within your selected "Days to Look Back" period. This is based on observations reported to eBird by citizen scientists.

A higher count generally indicates an active, diverse location, but species presence varies by season and conditions.

Driving times are calculated using OpenStreetMap's routing service (OSRM). They represent estimated driving times under normal conditions and don't account for real-time traffic.

Actual travel times may vary based on traffic, road conditions, and your specific route preferences.

Weather information is provided to help you plan your birding trip. The tool shows current conditions and provides a "birding conditions" score based on factors like temperature, wind, and precipitation.

Generally, calm, mild conditions with no rain are best for birding, though some species are more active in specific weather.

It is the single row beneath "Where should I go?" that gathers everything worth knowing before you pick a spot. Each segment shows a count or headline with a short summary, and clicking it expands the full panel below the strip (one at a time):

• Rare birds - notable or uncommon species recently observed in your search area, freshest first, with a link to view all.
• Targets - species not on the list you imported, with how many hotspots report each and a Copy targets button.
• Weather - the overall birding-conditions rating, sunrise and sunset, and a golden-hour note when it applies.
• Migration - seasonal context on what is moving through and the best time of day to look.

A segment only appears when there is something to show, so on a quiet day the strip may have one or two segments.

Each hotspot card shows quality indicators to help you assess reliability:

• All-time species count - Total number of unique species ever recorded at this hotspot
• Visit count - Total number of eBird checklists submitted at this location
• Quality badge:
  • Well-Established (green) - 500+ visits, highly reliable data
  • Active (yellow) - 50-500 visits, good coverage
  • New Spot (gray) - Under 50 visits, less data available

A hotspot with 200 all-time species and 5,000 visits is more reliable than one with 50 species and 10 visits.

Potential Lifers are species that have been observed at a hotspot but are not on your personal life list. If you've imported your eBird life list, the tool will highlight species you haven't seen yet with purple text and a star icon.

This feature helps you identify hotspots where you might add new species to your list. On each card they appear as an N targets badge and in the For you row; across all results they appear as the Targets segment of the highlights strip, which expands to the full list.

Species that are both rare AND potential lifers get special combined highlighting, making them highest priority targets.

Expand Saved Itineraries in the sidebar and click Open next to the one you want. The stops, arrival times, and drive legs appear in the results area along with a map, an Open route in Google Maps link for turn-by-turn directions, and Export GPX for a GPS unit or offline maps app.

A saved itinerary keeps only the stops and timing, not the bird lists or weather, so the PDF export is not available until you run a fresh search. Click Back to Results to close it.

After finding hotspots, you can create an optimized birding itinerary that plans the best route to visit multiple hotspots in a single trip. The tool calculates driving distances and suggests an efficient order for your stops.

When building an itinerary, you can customize:

• End Location - Return to your starting point (round trip) or end at a different location
• Optimization Priority:
  • Balanced - Considers both species diversity and travel time
  • Most Species - Prioritizes hotspots with highest bird diversity
  • Shortest Route - Minimizes total driving distance
• Maximum Stops - Limit how many hotspots to include (3-10 stops)

In Along a route mode, the route preview displays:

• A map showing your driving path between start and end locations
• Total driving distance in miles
• Estimated drive time (without stops)

This helps you understand the base route before adding birding stops.

Yes. After you click Plan Route the page address is updated with your start, end, and maximum detour. Copy it from the address bar, or use Copy share link in the Share · Export menu once you have built the itinerary. Whoever opens the link sees route mode with both addresses and the detour filled in. Nothing is looked up until they click Plan Route, which draws the preview and runs the search with their own eBird key.

When you enter start and end locations, the tool:

1. Calculates the actual driving route between your locations
2. Searches for eBird hotspots along the entire route corridor
3. Filters hotspots based on your "Max Detour" setting
4. Displays key birds at each stop to help you choose
5. Creates an optimized itinerary with suggested stops

This ensures you find birding spots along your actual path, not just near the midpoint.

When selecting stops along your route, each hotspot card shows badges indicating key birds:

• RARE (orange) - Notable or uncommon species have been recently observed at this hotspot
• LIFER (purple) - Species not on your imported life list are present (potential new life birds)
• TARGET (blue) - Species you specified in the "Target Species" field are present at this stop

The "Key Birds" section below each card shows the top 3 highlighted species with their status.

The Target Species field uses autocomplete to help you select species from the eBird taxonomy:

1. Click the "Target Species" input field
2. Start typing a bird name (common or scientific)
3. Select the species from the dropdown suggestions
4. The species appears as a tag below the input - repeat to add more species
5. Click the X on any tag to remove that species

Hotspots where your target species have been recently observed will display a blue "TARGET" badge on the card, and the matching species will be highlighted in the Key Birds list.

Map indicator: Hotspots with target species also show a blue ring around their map marker, making them easy to spot visually on the map.

When you have a life list imported, the "Optimize for Lifers" checkbox appears in route planning. When enabled, the tool automatically pre-selects all stops where potential lifers (species not on your life list) have been recently observed.

This helps you quickly plan a route focused on adding new species to your life list.

When you select stops along your route, unselected stops show a diversity indicator:

• "+X unique species" - How many species this stop has that your selected stops don't have
• "X% overlap" - Shown when a stop has mostly the same species as your selected stops (high overlap means less value adding this stop)

This helps you choose stops that maximize species diversity and avoid redundant stops with similar bird lists.

Yes! After the route search finds hotspots, you can select which ones to include by clicking the checkboxes on each hotspot card or by clicking on map markers. Use the "Select All" or "Deselect All" buttons to quickly manage your selections.

The diversity indicator and key birds display help you make informed decisions about which stops will add the most value to your trip.

After generating a route, you have several export options:

• PDF Report - Download a printable report with maps, directions, and species lists
• GPX File - Export waypoints for use in GPS devices or mapping apps
• Google Maps - Click the directions link to open your route in Google Maps

After entering an address or coordinates, click the star icon next to the location field to save it as a favorite. Give it a name (like "Home" or "Cabin") for easy reference.

Saved locations are stored in your browser's local storage. They're only available on the same device and browser where you saved them. Clearing your browser data will remove saved locations.

Recent Searches shows your last 5 search locations as clickable chips below the location input field. This makes it easy to quickly re-search locations you've looked up before.

Simply click on any recent search chip to automatically fill in those coordinates and start a new search. The search will run immediately using your current settings.

Yes, click the "Clear" link next to "Recent searches:" to remove all your search history. Like other data, recent searches are stored in your browser's local storage.

Click the star icon in the top-right corner of any hotspot card in your search results. The star will turn gold to indicate the hotspot has been saved to your favorites.

Once you've favorited at least one hotspot, a "Favorite Hotspots" section will appear in the sidebar. Click on any favorite to open its eBird page in a new tab.

You can remove a favorite in two ways:

• Click the star icon again on the hotspot card to unfavorite it
• Click the X button next to the hotspot in the "Favorite Hotspots" section

Open Details on any hotspot card, expand "View Species List", then click the "Copy List" button at the top of the list. The species will be copied to your clipboard as a formatted checklist.

The copied list is formatted as a field checklist with checkboxes:

Species Checklist - Central Park
========================================
[ ] American Robin
[ ] Blue Jay
[ ] Northern Cardinal
...
(47 species)

You can paste this into notes, messages, or print it for use in the field.

The Life List feature lets you import your personal birding life list from eBird. Once imported, the tool compares species observed at hotspots against your list and highlights "potential lifers" - species you haven't seen yet.

This helps you prioritize hotspots where you're most likely to add new species to your life list.

To import your life list from eBird:

1. Log in to eBird and open My eBird > Life List
2. At the top of that page choose the region (world, country, state, or county) and time period (all years, this year, and so on) you want the list to cover
3. Scroll to the bottom and click the Download button to save a CSV file
4. In this tool, expand the "My Life List" section
5. Click "Import from eBird" and select your downloaded CSV file

The tool matches each row against the eBird taxonomy and shows how many species were imported.

Do not use "Download My Data". That export is your complete checklist history, one row per species per checklist, and the importer rejects it because it is far too large to be a list.

Once you've imported your life list:

• Purple text with a star - Species you haven't seen (potential lifers)
• Orange text - Rare/notable species in the area
• Purple + Orange combined - Species that are BOTH rare AND a potential lifer (highest priority!)

Each hotspot card with targets shows an N targets badge and names them in the For you row. The Targets segment of the highlights strip expands to a list of every species you could add across all results.

Yes. On the eBird Life List page pick the region and time period first (for example your state and the current year), then download. Import that file here and the tool flags species that are not on it: your year birds, state birds, or county birds rather than only lifers.

Type a name in List name (for example "2026 Minnesota list") so the badges, the "For you" rows, and the Targets panel say which list they are comparing against. Importing a different list replaces the current one.

The Copy targets button in the Targets panel of the highlights strip copies every species in the banner as a plain-text checklist, one line each: [ ] Species - Hotspot (+N more spots) (last seen). Paste it into a notes app or a message to plan your day. "+N more spots" means the same species was also reported at that many other hotspots in your results.

Your life list is stored in your browser's local storage, just like your saved locations and API key. It stays on your device and is never uploaded to any server.

If you clear your browser data, you'll need to import your life list again.

To clear your life list, expand the "My Life List" section and click the "Clear" button.

To update your list, import a fresh CSV export from eBird. Because an eBird export is already complete, the new file replaces the current list after you confirm, so species you removed on eBird do not linger here.

Yes. The weather display supports both Fahrenheit and Celsius. Click on the temperature reading to toggle between units. Your preference is saved in your browser for future visits.

This error means your eBird API key is not being accepted. Try these steps:

1. Double-check that you copied the entire key without extra spaces
2. Clear the key and re-enter it
3. Verify your key is still active at ebird.org/api/keygen
4. If the key was recently generated, wait a few minutes and try again

The geocoding service couldn't find your address. Try these tips:

• Use a complete address with city and state/country
• Check spelling of street and city names
• Try a nearby landmark or intersection if your exact address isn't found
• Switch to GPS coordinates if you have them

This can happen for several reasons:

• Remote area - Some regions have few or no eBird hotspots. Try increasing the search range.
• No recent activity - If "Days to Look Back" is set too low, hotspots without recent observations won't appear. Try increasing it to 30 days.
• Route too short - For route planning, very short routes may not have hotspots within your detour distance.

If the map appears blank or tiles don't load:

• Check your internet connection
• Try refreshing the page
• Disable browser extensions that might block map tiles (ad blockers, privacy extensions)
• Try a different browser

Loading times depend on several factors:

• Number of hotspots in your search area
• Your internet connection speed
• eBird API response times (can be slower during peak hours)

Reducing the search range or "Days to Look Back" can speed up results. The tool shows progress as it loads each hotspot's details.

If a species you've seen is incorrectly marked as a potential lifer:

• Check spelling - The common name in eBird must match exactly. Some species have regional name variations.
• Re-import your list - Download a fresh CSV from eBird and import it again. This ensures the latest taxonomy is used.
• Taxonomy updates - eBird occasionally updates species names or codes. A recent import will have the latest names.

The tool matches species by both species code and common name (case-insensitive) to maximize accuracy.

When importing a life list, some species may not match the eBird taxonomy. This can happen with:

• Subspecies or regional forms not in the main taxonomy
• Recently split or lumped species
• Hybrid species

These species are still imported with a fallback code and will be matched by common name when possible. Check the browser console for details on which species weren't matched.

This tool is designed with privacy in mind. Here's what happens with your data:

• Location and search data - Addresses or coordinates are sent to LocationIQ for geocoding. Coordinates and relevant eBird credentials or identifiers are sent to eBird for hotspot and observation data. OpenStreetMap tile servers receive requests for the map areas displayed, the public OSRM service receives coordinates for route calculations, and Open-Meteo receives coordinates for weather. Google Maps receives addresses or coordinates only when you choose an Open in Google Maps link. The project does not store search locations on a project-owned server.
• API key - Your eBird API key is stored only in your browser's local storage if you choose "Remember". It is lightly obfuscated but not encrypted (client-side security limitation).
• Life list - Your imported life list is stored only in your browser's local storage. It never leaves your device.
• Saved locations - Stored only in your browser's local storage.
• Error diagnostics - Unexpected runtime errors are stored in your browser's local storage and are never sent automatically. Entries whose last occurrence is more than 24 hours old are discarded the next time diagnostics are restored on page load. If you choose Report, the tool sends a pre-filled draft to GitHub's new issue page for you to review. The issue becomes public only if you submit it.

To function, this tool sends data to the following services:

• eBird API (Cornell Lab) - Receives your eBird API key plus coordinates, hotspot identifiers, species identifiers, or region identifiers needed for the bird data you request
• LocationIQ - Receives addresses for forward geocoding and coordinates for reverse geocoding
• OpenStreetMap tile servers - Receive tile requests corresponding to map areas displayed in the app
• OSRM (Open Source Routing Machine) - Receives coordinates for driving route calculations and route optimization
• Open-Meteo - Receives coordinates and forecast parameters for weather data
• Google Maps - Receives addresses or coordinates only when you choose an Open in Google Maps link
• GitHub - Receives an error-report draft when you choose Report. The draft includes the error message, stack trace, source, browser details, and full page URL, which may contain shared addresses. Review or remove sensitive details before submitting. The issue becomes public only if you submit it.
• Vercel - Hosts the deployed site and serves its Web Analytics script, so page visits and standard network request information are sent to Vercel. The app does not intentionally add entered addresses or API keys to analytics events.
• Google Fonts, unpkg, and cdnjs - Serve fonts and application libraries and receive standard network request information when those resources load

Each service has its own privacy policy. Runtime errors are not sent to a project-owned reporting server.

Your API key is stored in your browser's local storage with reversible obfuscation, not encryption. Scripts, extensions, or people with access to that browser profile may be able to recover it. This is a limitation of a client-side web application. For better security:

• Don't share your browser's local storage or developer console output
• Use "Remember" only on private devices you trust
• Your API key is only sent to eBird's servers, never to any other destination

To remove all stored data:

• Quick method - Clear your browser's local storage for this site
• Manual method - Clear saved locations and life list, dismiss captured errors from the error dialog, and uncheck "Remember" for your API key

Data sent to third-party APIs (like search queries) follows each service's data retention policies.