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May 1, 2009

Birdpost – Birding in the 21st Century

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If you’ve ever thought – and who hasn’t – “they’ve got a website for everything,” here’s a new one to add to the mix: “They’ve got a social network for everything.” Not to talk down birdwatching, as people love the practice and it can be very fulfilling, but it is an interesting development to see an online social network used for such a narrow niche.

With Birdpost, birdwatchers can report on bird sightings they’ve had in their local area, as well as find the bird sightings other people have found – using a large interactive map. Users can also scroll through a list of bird species and see where they’ve been spotted making it a great tool for mapping out excursions with your kids.

Sure, birdwatching is something you do to get away from technology: just the open air, a pair of binoculars, and maybe a notebook, but given how much technology is entering our lives, Birdpost is a great tool for both aspiring and experienced birdwatchers. Does this take the mystery out of discovering a bird out in the wild? Perhaps to a degree but spending your day birdwatching without finding any birds isn’t too fun either.

Practical Uses:

  • Find out about bird sightings in your area that you may have yet to spot
  • Identify the species of birds spotted on your Yellowstone family vacation
  • See the actions of experienced birders across the world
  • Connect with other birdwatchers near and far – and possibly find an activity partner

Insider Tips:

  • Report any inaccurate bird sightings to keep the site honest – like a Toucan in Los Angeles
  • Sign up for wild bird alerts for your area so you’ll be notified the minute a new bird is discovered
  • Compare your sightings to other sightings in the area. It’s a way to keep tabs on every bird you’ve seen via your My Birds list

What we liked:

  • It’s free
  • It’s unique and well-designed
  • Good amount of user interaction – a site like this is only as good as its number of users and Birdpost is quite active
  • Comprehensive list of bird species – really one of the most authoritative bird sites

What we didn’t like:

  • It takes some of the magic and mystery out of birdwatching
  • Requires sign-up to use any of the sites features

Alternatives:

Company Info:

  • Launched: 2007
  • Privately Held
  • Headquarters: Menlo Park, CA
  • Founded by: Jason Peery and Ben Crockett
  • Web site: http://www.birdpost.com

Costs:

  • Free

Comments

  1. Thanks for the review. I like the way you’ve broken down the different sections in your review like “Insider Tips” etc. What a cool site! I’m into birds and think this is a winner and glad it’s free at least for now.

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