What are eBird Projects?

eBird Projects support targeted data collection for regional research and conservation initiatives, including Bird Atlases, the International Shorebird Survey, or the Caribbean Waterbird Census.

By joining an eBird Project, you’ll directly contribute to community efforts to study and protect bird populations—on top of the many global efforts that your eBird checklists already support.


Caribbean Waterbird Census

Where can I find eBird Projects to join?

eBird Projects are publicized and recruited for by eBird’s partners—keep an eye out for notes from birding, conservation, and research organizations that might be running an eBird Project near you.

How do I join or leave an eBird Project?

Join or leave a Project from the Project’s “About” page on the eBird website. Some projects require collecting data at particular locations or ask you to complete additional information fields. Be sure to review the project expectations, including how to observe and where to go, before joining.

Invite-only Projects can only be joined through an invitation link from a Project Administrator.

Where can I see which Projects I’ve joined?

Visit https://ebird.org/submit to view your joined Projects.

Contributing Data to eBird Projects

First, join the Project. Then, select from the Projects you’ve joined when starting a new checklist on the eBird webpage or mobile app. You can select more than one Project if their data collection requirements are compatible. 


Your checklist will display the relevant data collection fields for the selected Project(s) automatically. If you aren’t sure how to collect the required information, refer to the instructions on the Project’s overview page.


Projects are only supported in version 3.1.3 or later of the eBird app. Make sure your eBird Mobile app is up-to-date before participating in Projects.


If you’ve just joined a Project a couple minutes ago and are not seeing it on eBird Mobile, go to Settings in the eBird Mobile app and tap “Check for updates” to see the Project.

eBird app settings check for updates

How do I remove a checklist from a Project?

To change the Project selection on a submitted checklist:

  1. Open the checklist on the eBird website.
  2. Tap Checklist Tools and select “Change Project”.

You will be asked to confirm or update your checklist effort details (location, time, observation type, etc.) after changing Project selections.


Check Project in eBird Checklist tools

How do I leave a Project? 

Leave a Project the same way you joined it—from the About tab of the Project’s overview page. If you leave an invite-only Project, you’ll need the invitation link from a Project Administrator to rejoin.


If I leave a Project, what happens to my checklists?


If you leave a Project, the checklists you previously contributed will remain part of the Project unless you choose to remove them or they are removed by a Project Administrator.

How do I start an eBird Project?

Currently, eBird Projects are available for Bird Atlases and existing data collection efforts. Additional Projects may be supported in the future. Stay tuned!