About
BirdPlan is a dedicated trip-planning tool built specifically for birders. Using an interactive map interface, users can discover, save, and organize birding hotspots into a structured itinerary for any upcoming adventure. The app integrates directly with eBird, allowing you to import your life list and regional target species so that all hotspot filtering and recent sighting data is personalized to the birds you actually want to find. Core features include saving eBird hotspots with custom notes, viewing recent sightings filtered to your target species, and adding custom markers for hotels, airports, Airbnbs, and other points of interest. The itinerary builder lets you schedule daily visits and automatically calculates travel time between locations, saving valuable planning effort. Collaboration is built in — you can invite co-planners as editors or share a view-only link with tour groups or fellow trip members. The tool is entirely free to use and requires only a free account to get started. BirdPlan is ideal for solo listers, birding clubs, tour leaders, and anyone who wants a structured, map-centric way to organize a birding trip — from a single-day local outing to a multi-week international expedition.
Key Features
- eBird Integration: Import your life list and regional target species directly from eBird to filter hotspots and recent sightings to only the birds you're chasing.
- Hotspot Saving & Notes: Bookmark eBird hotspots to your trip plan and attach personal notes so important location details are never lost.
- Recent Sightings Feed: View up-to-date sightings of your target species near trip locations, helping you maximize your chances of finding rare or sought-after birds.
- Itinerary Builder with Auto Travel Time: Organize hotspots into a day-by-day schedule and let BirdPlan automatically calculate travel time between stops.
- Collaboration & Sharing: Invite co-planners as editors or share a view-only trip link with friends, guides, or birding club members.
Use Cases
- Planning a multi-day birding road trip with daily hotspot schedules and automatic drive-time estimates.
- Importing an eBird life list to identify and map nearby locations where target species have been recently reported.
- Coordinating a birding club trip by inviting multiple editors to collaboratively build and refine a shared itinerary.
- Organizing all logistical details — hotels, airports, car rental drop-offs — alongside birding hotspots in a single map view.
- Sharing a finalized birding trip plan with tour clients or guests via a view-only link before departure.
Pros
- Completely Free: BirdPlan is free to use with no paywalled features, making it accessible to all birders regardless of budget.
- Deep eBird Integration: Seamless import of life lists and target species from eBird makes the planning experience highly personalized and data-driven.
- Collaborative Planning: Editor invites and view-only sharing links make it easy to coordinate trips with groups, clubs, or tour clients.
- Automated Travel Logistics: Auto-calculated travel times between hotspots remove manual effort and help birders plan realistic daily schedules.
Cons
- Niche Audience: BirdPlan is purpose-built for birders, so its utility is limited to wildlife and nature travel planning contexts.
- eBird Dependency for Full Features: Many of the most valuable features — target filtering and sighting data — require an existing eBird account and uploaded life list.
- Web-Only Platform: There is currently no dedicated mobile app, which may limit usability in the field without a stable internet connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BirdPlan free to use?
Yes, BirdPlan is completely free. Simply create an account at birdplan.app to get started with no cost or subscription required.
Does BirdPlan require an eBird account?
An eBird account is not strictly required to use BirdPlan, but importing your life list and viewing personalized target species sightings depends on eBird integration. Without it, some features will be limited.
Can I plan a trip with other people?
Yes. You can invite collaborators as editors to help build the trip, or share a view-only link so others can follow along without editing access.
How does the itinerary builder work?
You add hotspots and custom markers to your trip and schedule them by day. BirdPlan automatically calculates travel time between each stop to help you build a realistic daily plan.
Is BirdPlan open source?
BirdPlan has a GitHub repository linked from its website, suggesting the project has open-source components or is at least partially publicly available for inspection.
