About
Trektellen.org is a comprehensive citizen science platform dedicated to bird migration monitoring and collaborative data sharing. Designed for birdwatchers, ornithologists, and conservation researchers, it enables users to record and publish migration counts, bird captures (ringing), and nocturnal flight call observations from dedicated monitoring sites around the world. The platform aggregates real-time data from hundreds of active observation points spanning the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Britain, Germany, Spain, Scandinavia, North America, and many other countries. Live counts update continuously, showing species totals and individual numbers as observers submit them. Trektellen offers a rich suite of analytical tools including phenology charts, record count comparisons, combo graphs, migration pattern maps, and multi-dimensional totals breakable down by date, species, migration site, or year. These tools enable deep temporal and spatial analysis of bird migration dynamics. Supporting over 15 languages — including Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish, Danish, Polish, and more — Trektellen serves a truly global community. The platform also maintains archives of pictures and documents from counting sites, serving as a historical repository for migration science. Whether you are a hobbyist contributing daily counts, a researcher studying long-term population trends, or a conservation organization tracking flyway health, Trektellen provides the infrastructure and data to support rigorous, community-driven bird migration science.
Key Features
- Real-Time Migration Data: Live-updating feed of species counts and individual numbers from hundreds of active observation sites worldwide, refreshed continuously as observers submit data.
- Advanced Analytics Tools: Includes phenology charts, record count views, combo graphs, migration pattern maps, and multi-dimensional totals by date, species, site, and year for deep data exploration.
- Multiple Count Types: Supports traditional visual migration counts, bird capture (ringing) data, and nocturnal flight call monitoring — covering the full spectrum of migration observation methods.
- Global & Multilingual Coverage: Observation sites from Europe, North America, and beyond, with the interface available in 15+ languages to serve an international community of contributors.
- Media & Document Archive: Each site can host photographs and documents, creating a rich historical and visual record alongside the numerical count data.
Use Cases
- Monitoring and documenting seasonal bird migration patterns along specific European or North American flyways.
- Contributing daily or seasonal observation data to a global citizen science database for long-term ornithological research.
- Analyzing multi-year phenological trends to study the effects of climate change on bird migration timing.
- Comparing species counts across different migration sites to understand route preferences and population dynamics.
- Reviewing nocturnal flight call data from multiple sites to track nighttime migration activity and invisible movements.
Pros
- Completely Free to Use: No subscription or cost barriers — open to citizen scientists, hobbyists, researchers, and conservation organizations alike.
- Rich Analytical Capabilities: Offers phenology charts, geographic maps, and multi-year trend tools that go well beyond basic data entry, making it genuinely useful for scientific research.
- Broad International Community: Real-time contributions from sites across Europe and North America in 15+ languages, giving access to a uniquely wide geographic dataset.
Cons
- Highly Niche Audience: Purpose-built for bird migration monitoring — of limited relevance outside the ornithology and birdwatching community.
- Data Quality Relies on Volunteers: As a citizen science platform, data completeness and accuracy depend entirely on the consistency and expertise of contributing observers.
- No Mobile App: The platform is web-only, which can be inconvenient for field data entry directly from remote observation sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Trektellen?
Trektellen is a free citizen science web platform for recording, sharing, and analyzing bird migration counts and captures. It aggregates real-time data from hundreds of observation sites worldwide and provides tools for phenological and spatial analysis.
Is Trektellen free to use?
Yes, Trektellen is completely free. Anyone can browse the public data, and birdwatchers can register to contribute their own migration counts to the platform.
What types of bird observations can be recorded?
Trektellen supports three main count types: visual migration counts, bird captures (ringing station data), and nocturnal flight calls. Each site can specify which method it uses.
Which countries and regions are covered?
The platform covers sites across the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Britain, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Scandinavia, North Europe, and North America, with an 'Other countries' category for additional regions.
What analytical tools does Trektellen provide?
Trektellen offers phenology charts, record count comparisons, standard and combo graphs, migration pattern maps, and totals broken down by date, species, migration site, and year — enabling both quick overviews and detailed long-term trend analysis.
