Free Birding APPS from Cornell Lab

Download the eBird App and create a free account. In the eBird App you may record the birds you identify, then report them to the BioBlitz.  For assistance with bird identification, download the Merlin App: it has a feature to record the sounds of the birds you are hearing and will identify them for you.

Identifying Plants and Other Wildlife with iNaturalist:

The iNaturalist SEEK App is helpful in identifying plants and wildlife. Also, download the iNaturalist App to record your findings and contribute to citizen science research.  

Note: The SEEK App has a helpful option in the settings.  When the App first opens, click the settings gear and turn on "take picture upon ID"

Learn More about iNaturalist.

The iNaturalist Community: Connecting People to Nature While Expanding Biodiversity Knowledge

By Kathy Whaley, Refuge Manager

Although iNaturalist.org has been around since 2008, many nature enthusiasts are just now learning about this unique resource. So, what is iNaturalist, how does it work, and how can it help me become a better naturalist?

iNaturalist, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is an online network of “observers” who make records of most any living thing on Earth worldwide. It includes species of birds, mammals, plants, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, moths, insects, fish, fungi, lichens, mollusks, and even protozoans. So far more than 3 million observers have recorded almost 470,000 species throughout the world. In Texas alone, 67,000 registered observers have identified 28,281 different species to date. Looking more locally, as of late April 2024 Grayson County had 2,541 observers who had recorded 3,477 species. If you would like to see the observations at Hagerman NWR, go to iNaturalist.org, select “Community” at the top of the page, then drop down to select “Projects”. Type Hagerman in the search box then select Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. As of late April, 814 observers had recorded 1,634 species totaling just under 27,000 observations on the refuge alone! On this page you can see who has recorded the most observations, the most species, a location map, plus which species are most often observed and recorded (hint: the most commonly recorded species on the refuge is large, gray/blue, and flies. Can you guess what it is?)

For those who just want to explore data and not record observations, you can go online to www.inaturalist.org and enter the location you would like to learn more about in terms of species present. Once the observations for that location load, you can refine your search by groups of species (i.e., birds) or by species (i.e., painted bunting). There is an “Explore” option that will allow you to see what others in the area have observed or query a specific organism to see if it has been spotted nearby. iNaturalist shows observations of species present by map, grid (photos), or list. You can also set a custom boundary that you define and choose a map view or satellite view of that area. Traveling to a new location and want to know which species you can expect to see there? No problem! Plug in your destination “Location” and let the database do the work for you.

To get started as an observer, simply download the free iNaturalist app on your smart phone (or tablet) from the Apple or Android app store. Once the app downloads you will need to create an account using an email address and select a password. Location services must be turned on for your camera and for iNaturalist. Once this is done you are ready to “observe”. Practice with a photo of a wild plant, bird, or animal already on your phone or go outside and snap a photo of something wild (please don’t upload ornamental plants, pets, or people). The app will walk you through what to do step by step in an easy-to-understand manner. If you think you know what the species is, enter it when you upload the photo. If you just know that it is, for example, a snake, enter the category “reptile” and start there.

The intuitive iNaturalist database also provides the ability to get suggestions for an identification when you upload a photo of a species. This feature can be very helpful, especially with plants. Once you take

your photo, before you enter a possible ID, click on "view suggestions". iNaturalist will tell you if the suggestions are "expected nearby" or even "seen nearby" which will help you narrow the suggested species to the most likely ID based on your location. Once your observation is recorded and saved in the database, other users will be able to see the image and make suggestions on the correct identification. As a registered observer, you will have access to experts in every category who are generally very happy to share their knowledge with you.

All iNaturalist entries include the date and time observed, the observer username, a map showing the location, a photo, and usually a suggested ID if one is known. Once the photo is uploaded, the ID will need to be confirmed by other users. When you have two or more positive identifications your observation will be labeled “research grade” which basically means that is for certain the correct identification. Whether you are looking to expand your own personal knowledge or are working on an actual nature-based research project, iNaturalist is an excellent reference that is now used by professional biologists and for conservation research around the world.

“Seek” is a different app developed by the iNaturalist team that can be very helpful for the identification of living things. No log-in or account is required to use this free app. Once the app is downloaded, simply point your camera at the plant, animal, fungus, butterfly, or whatever it is you want to identify and give Seek just a few seconds. It uses image recognition technology to help identify the organism based on positive ID’s already in the database. All things considered, Seek is an amazing identification tool for those of us who love to explore the outdoors and its many forms of life.

Want to learn more or put your new skills in action? On Saturday September 7th, Texas Master Naturalists will hold the 3rd Annual Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge iNaturalist Bioblitz. Certified Master Naturalists and others from the iNaturalist community will survey all flora and fauna located on refuge lands by using the iNaturalist app. Everyone is welcome to come join the fun and play an important part in this unique citizen science effort. The event will last all day, but you can come and go as you like. You will enter your own observations through the app which will become part of your personal iNaturalist history and be available for you to access at any time.

Go explore!