About
Scythebill is a powerful yet easy-to-use desktop bird listing and wildlife tracking application designed for birders of all levels. Completely free and open-source, it runs natively on Windows, macOS, and Linux — no emulation required — so your data travels with you regardless of which operating system you use. At its core, Scythebill allows you to maintain a detailed life list of bird sightings from anywhere in the world. It supports multiple leading taxonomies including Clements, IOC, and AviList 2025, and lets you switch between them instantly to keep your lists current with the latest splits and lumps. The app ships with hundreds of built-in country and state checklists, making it easy to track regional progress. Beyond birds, Scythebill has expanded to support fish, butterflies, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, odonates, European dragonflies and damselflies, North American moths, and UK invertebrates — making it a versatile tool for any naturalist. Data import is fast and comprehensive, supporting eBird, Avisys, BirdBase, BirdTrack, and Wildlife Recorder, among others. Recent updates added eBird location checklists, trip filtering, batch photo additions, checklist printing, and multi-taxonomy spreadsheet exports. Scythebill is ideal for hobbyist birders, serious listers, ornithology students, and citizen scientists who want a reliable, cross-platform solution to manage a lifetime's worth of sighting records — without paying a subscription fee.
Key Features
- Multi-Platform Support: Runs natively on Windows, macOS, and Linux without emulation, so your sighting data follows you across operating systems.
- Multiple Taxonomy Support: Instantly switch between Clements, IOC, and AviList taxonomies, with built-in Splits & Lumps reports to keep lists current.
- Fast eBird & Platform Imports: Quickly import a lifetime of records from eBird, Avisys, BirdBase, BirdTrack, Wildlife Recorder, and more in just a few clicks.
- Hundreds of Built-In Checklists: Ships with country and state/regional checklists globally, plus eBird location checklists for precise local listing.
- Extended Species Coverage: Beyond birds, track butterflies, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, odonates, moths, and UK invertebrates with dedicated taxonomies.
Use Cases
- Maintaining a personal life list of bird sightings from locations around the world, organized by taxonomy and region.
- Importing years of historical birding records from eBird, Avisys, or BirdBase into a single unified database.
- Tracking sightings across multiple taxonomic groups — including butterflies, mammals, and reptiles — for a comprehensive naturalist record.
- Comparing species lists across countries or states using hundreds of built-in regional checklists.
- Keeping life lists synchronized with the latest taxonomic changes using the Splits and Lumps report across Clements and IOC checklists.
Pros
- Completely Free & Open-Source: No subscription, no hidden fees — Scythebill is free forever and open to community contributions on all platforms.
- True Cross-Platform Compatibility: Native support for Windows, macOS, and Linux means you never lose your data when switching devices or operating systems.
- Broad Species & Taxonomy Coverage: Supports birds and numerous other wildlife groups with multiple up-to-date taxonomies, catering to diverse naturalist interests.
- Fast Data Entry & Import: Importing thousands of historical records from popular birding platforms takes just minutes, getting you productive immediately.
Cons
- Desktop-Only, No Mobile App: Scythebill is a desktop application with no iOS or Android version, making field entry in the moment less convenient.
- No AI or Smart Features: The app lacks AI-powered identification, recommendations, or smart data insights found in newer nature-tracking platforms.
- Niche Use Case: Purpose-built for wildlife listing, so it offers little utility outside of naturalist and birding record-keeping workflows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Scythebill really free?
Yes — Scythebill is completely free and the developers have committed to keeping it free. It is also open-source, so anyone can contribute to its development.
Which operating systems does Scythebill support?
Scythebill runs natively on Windows, macOS, and Linux without requiring any emulation software.
Can I import my existing eBird data into Scythebill?
Yes. Scythebill supports fast imports from eBird, Avisys, BirdBase, BirdTrack, Wildlife Recorder, and several other popular birding platforms.
Does Scythebill support animals other than birds?
Yes. In addition to birds, Scythebill supports tracking of butterflies, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, odonates, European dragonflies, North American moths, and UK invertebrates.
Which bird taxonomies does Scythebill support?
Scythebill supports the Clements/eBird taxonomy, the IOC World Bird List, and a preview of AviList 2025, and lets you switch between them instantly.
