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Birda’s Community Standards

Being part of the Birda community is about learning, inspiration and fun, and we encourage others to learn and grow, no matter your level of expertise. Here are some of the ways we do that.

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Put nature first

Engage with nature and aim to have a positive impact through concerted action and educating yourself. Specifically:

  • Make every effort to avoid causing stress for birds.
  • Be mindful that exciting or rare sightings can cause crowding.
  • Avoid artificially attracting birds, such as using audio recordings.
  • When posting photos of nests or eggs, please hide the location of these sightings to protect the birds from disturbance.
  • Handle the topic of dead birds with sensitivity. If sharing, ensure the discussion is respectful and educational.
  • Please do not share captive or domestic species on Birda as we are a community of birdwatchers who are interested in wild birds.
  • Keep the natural spaces you visit pristine by acting responsibly and knowing the impact you have.
  • Take home your own waste and try to remove any waste you see along the way.

Be honest and respectful

Be honest with yourself and other birders, but above all, respectful of them and any other outdoor users, everywhere – especially online. If you didn’t see it (or hear it), please don’t put it on Birda.

Be inclusive

You don’t have to fit a specific mould to be interested in birding. Be inclusive, be kind and discourage elitist attitudes. Be gentle when offering advice or corrections and be open to input from others. Let’s remember that we all start as beginners and that the experienced eye can make mistakes too. We have zero tolerance for bullying, harassment, or any form of abuse. Report any inappropriate behaviour to moderators.

Be inconspicuous

Tread lightly! Stay on roads, trails, and paths where possible and get permission before birding on private property. Make every effort to keep your birding experience from negatively impacting nature, disturbing habitats or other outdoor users.

Own your own privacy

You have control over what you share with others on Birda. We offer many tools to enable you to have a safe experience on Birda. Take the time to understand your privacy settings and make changes according to your preferences and requirements. Do not share personal information or someone else’s photos without consent.

Keep conservation in mind

While misidentifications happen and learning is part of the process, we encourage you to reach out to the Birda community for help in logging posts accurately. Use Birda’s built-in functions if you don’t know what you saw, and please add an image of the bird where you can. Data collected from the app goes to conservation efforts such as the GBIF (but only if you want it to), so please post as accurately as possible, including location and sightings data, even for sensitive and endangered species. Read more about how we handle sensitive species in this article.

Moderators

Moderators are here to help enforce these guidelines and ensure the community remains welcoming and respectful. Please be aware that violations may result in warnings or a ban. If you have any concerns or suggestions, please reach out to the moderation team at support@birda.org.