How eBird review works

[@HawkInTheLens]

Wow thank you for making this! As a relatively new birder and “bird tuber” I can’t write enough how helpful this is!!! You laid all the information out so clearly and it’s so helpful to know. Thank you for both your work as a reviewer and sharing this!

[@imper_gaming]

Excellent video. I have a sneaking suspicion that reviewers in Kings County, NY have a bias towards the birders they are more familiar with. My warbling vireo observation with extensive notes in mid-April was not accepted, yet a warbling vireo observation at the same park was accepted just two days later by a user with minimal notes. This is just one example that comes to mind. Regardless, this was a great video with great points to consider in the vast majority of situations

[@dhitchcox]

Thanks! I'll definitely admit to having a bias towards birders I know and using the "Observer-Experienced" reasoning even when their notes are sparse. That said, the longer I review, the more I've accepted that EVERYONE makes mistakes, including the most experienced birders.

[@ospr3y]

I think the bias of reviewers accepting records from birders they are familiar with first is well justified. Reviewers can vouch for the skill level of those birders and can gauge the probability of the accuracy of reports based on personal experience with those birders. There's no way to gauge the skill level of visiting birders and it can further be assumed that those birders may not be familiar with the local avifauna. This doesn't mean records from visiting birders should be rejected, but further care with reviewing those records may be warranted. A good reviewer will reach out for more detail, but often times records can sit in the queue for quite some time, especially in counties with a lot of eBirders, so your record may not have even been reviewed yet.

[@jeaysm]

Thanks for doing this video, this was very helpful. I was lucky enough to see a rare bird for my region a couple of weeks after making my eBird account and had absolutely no idea about what went on behind the scenes on the review side, so this really cleared it up. I didn't even know that rare meant "really, really rare", as a beginner I mistakenly assumed "Rare" was more along the lines of what eBird calls "Uncommon". My sighting was confirmed soon after as many other observers were able to see it as well at the location.

[@dhitchcox]

Congrats on finding a rarity! Thanks for watching!!

[@ChrisOrte9a]

Thanks, Doug! I didn't know how the likely birds data was pulled, so it was really cool to see the breakdown of that information. I think there's enough potential content for a follow up video on the same topic. Some specifics to include could be even more details about how you make some of the more difficult judgement calls (ie how you determine birder experience is sufficient), explanation of the statuses of unconfirmed records as seen by users (unconfirmed vs. reviewed and not public), exotic protocols including how default settings are set and how you determine when to set a record as either escapee or provisional (BRC rejects based on provenance), how you handle known stringers, and how taxa other than the simple species level are handled. There are probably several other bits that could be included, but those are the first that come to my mind.

[@dhitchcox]

Thanks! These are great ideas for topics to cover in future videos. Much appreciated

[@karentiel]

Great video, Doug. It is nice to know how the process works and is helpful to know from a birder's perspective how to make those comments clearer.

[@dhitchcox]

Thanks for watching!

[@sheri.l.williamson]

Outstanding explainer, Doug!

[@dhitchcox]

Thank you, Sheri!

[@markmac4596]

Ok, so thar was very insightful, thank you so much! Actually I had no idea the review process was so detailed, and to think I have, in fact, gotten a bit twisted myself when asked to clarify something! Shame on me, that wont happen again! Thank you for all you do, ad thanks to all the volunteers who help to make this truly magnificent program so beneficial for free!🐣

[@dhitchcox]

Thanks! I'm glad this was helpful

[@Purlykitten]

Very good overview of EBird and will help me record data better. I once had a reviewer reach out & was thrilled.

[@dhitchcox]

Thanks for watching and glad you're enjoying eBird!

[@DeadDarnOwl]

Great video- very informative! I recall reading that “continuing” was a fine comment for an established rarity. Based on your video, I’ll adjust my actions

[@dhitchcox]

I think you've said it best: using "continuing" is fine. Not great, not bad, but it is fine to use. Thanks for watching!

[@RoyceMarcus]

Doug - super helpful video - and thanks for being a reviewer. Gave you a sub. I really wish ebird and merlin provided more documentation as I was only able to find a sliver of what you highlighted and I think your explanations were far clearer. Have a few clarification questions: -For the threshold of rarities/high counts: who governs those count ranges and time frames? Is it at a regional (county) level or higher? And how is that data informed. I.e. do reviews have access to databases to help inform and adjust those ranges with the changing landscape of birds? -I'm sure the answer to this is "it depends" but what is the ratio of reviewer to county? Is there one, more, or even a reviewer for multiple counties? -It sounds like you are a reviewer at a state level. What is the relationship between reviewers at a county VS state level? Is it that harder or more unusal reviews are leveled up to you? Great video and excited to check out more.

[@dhitchcox]

Thanks! Glad this was helpful. Here are a shot at answers: -The regional reviewers are in charge of the filters, setting both the counts and the date ranges. They are mostly on the county level, but often if counties are small enough then they are lumped together. Rarely are there smaller than county-level, like the Monhegan Island example I gave. And we mostly use eBird data to adjust them (especially bar chart data: ebird.org/GuideMe?cmd=changeLocation) -Yeah, "it depends." In Maine there are 4 of us with state-wide access, and we've added a few more reviewers in the last couple of years to help in high-traffic areas. Important to acknowledge there are some countries with no reviewers. -The only issue with state vs county reviewers is that it can be hard to keep track of records; this is true state wide too. For example, if a county reviewer has been accepting records for a few days, then I go on and only see records with "continuing" in the notes, I have to go look up the older (reviewed) records to see how they were handled. So it can make a bit more work but we try not to step on each other's toes. Hope this helps!

[@matt.m504]

I never realized you could type in the number of individuals seen and the species at the same time (e.g. one common swift). I’ve always searched for the species first, then put in the number. Learned something new, and it wasn’t even what you were trying to teach in the video! Edit: Just tried it today and realized you can also do it multiple times to add to the species count. I’ve always thought it was annoying to have to add the count myself and wondered why there wasn’t a feature that did it automatically. Turns out there is, I just didn’t know about it!

[@dhitchcox]

Nice! That is a great shortcut for entering species. Thanks for watching!

[@DinoMan99000]

Thanks for showing off what is happening behind the scenes, and for showing off how the filters work! I was always curious how eBird determined which species are common/uncommon/rare, and when high counts get flagged. I think it will be especially helpful when I am birding in regions that don't see many eBird checklist to know that auto generated list of likely bird might not be as accurate as if I was birding in a region that receives more checklists.

[@dhitchcox]

Glad this helped. Thanks for watching!

[@magzys123]

While I appreciate the tremendous researchable data eBird has amassed, and the essential role reviewers play in such collection, it’s a large part of why I quit submitting to eBird a couple years ago. I don’t like the feeling that when I’m unsure of a bird, I have some reviewer looking over my shoulder saying, “Hmm. I don’t think you’re right about that.” It’s quite freeing to go out birdwatching, see what I see, and know that my little ol’ life-list doesn’t matter one damn to anyone else.

[@dhitchcox]

Yeah I get that. There is another reviewer in Maine that has tossed a bunch of my records and it is incredibly frustrating. At least those records still show on my own list. I do think using eBird is the best way we can 'give back' to the birds. Thanks for watching!

[@recklessroges]

The Merlin App should have an addiction warning on it. It is so much fun and a great motivation to get out in nature. It is hard to describe the feeling of my brain learning a bird song as Merlin teaches me to differentiate between a Song Lark and a Blackbird. Thank you Doug for your service to our community.

[@dhitchcox]

It is very addicting! I'm working on a video about it so stay tuned for that.

[@kspringer5096]

Exceptional video.

[@dhitchcox]

Thank you!

[@sparrowjax275]

You are really good at making videos! I learn something new every time 😊 keep uploading !😉

[@dhitchcox]

Thank you! Will do!

[@sparrowjax275]

I would definatly enjoy more Ebird content, this was a very useful/informative video.

[@dhitchcox]

Sounds good. I've got some ideas in the works but let me know if there are any specific topics you'd be interested in.

[@11GreenViper]

This is a great video topic and well done. Very informative!

[@dhitchcox]

Thank you!

[@knightryderbelow]

Great video! This video or something similar should be on the ebird front page for new ebird users to see and understand the process. Problem I’m having with reviewers is how long they take to approve a sighting. I’m a photographer and I like to get my photos up the same day and get as many ratings as possible, ebird only makes your photos public for 7 days from the day you post your checklist on the recent photo list, after that it falls into regular batch of pics, unless you go to the actual checklist before approval. Right now I have a great pic and it’s been 5 days since posting I have 2 days left for anyone to see it on the recent sightings pics and get it up in the ranks. I don’t know if this goes for all reviewers, when I was new, I would get an email saying my sighting was not correct, no explanation why! I think reviewers should help and explain to new users certain field marks they could look for to make sure they are posting the correct sightings, otherwise people keep making the same mistakes posting incorrect sightings. I see it all the time.

[@blurs8890]

This is a great video and thank you so much for all the work you’ve done! How easy is it for reviewers to see unconfirmed records that are not recent? I have a few unconfirmed sightings myself that were confirmed but that I later edited to subspecies or slashes which have now gone years without reconfirmation.

[@dhitchcox]

Thanks for watching! The review queue is sorted chronologically by default, so sometimes records like you've described can be buried for a while. I try to switch up from reviewing the most recent records, to filtering by species or family to try to clean up older stuff, but even that isn't a perfect system. I just looked, and one of my own records from 2017 is still sitting in the queue...

[@RylanUrban]

Can you explain the difference between the "Rare" red box that appears and the semi-circle / red dot system? What does the combination of Rare + semi-circle mean compared to rare + red dot or red dot but no Rare box? I still find it confusing to understand

[@mattzx003]

17:58 "Everyone wants to become an eBird reviewer, but no one wants to be and eBird reviewer." That's because people want access to the sensitive species records, not to actually review them.

[@dukedex5043]

I'm new to birding. How do you learn to ID hundreds of birds? I'm currently using flashcards and have learned about 110.

[@dhitchcox]

I think repetition, like you get with flashcards, is great. I'll often go on eBird and filter recent photos to an area to see lots of photos of the birds there, and it is nice to see them from all different angles (and ages/plumages). Here is that link: media.ebird.org/catalog Or eBird also has quizzes available here: ebird.org/quiz/. That said, nothing beats time in the field spotting birds and learning them in person (and seeing how the act, what they sound like, etc)

[@dukedex5043]

@@dhitchcox Yep I do the exact same thing with recent photos in my area! On ebird I set it to photos of the month and look through and guess each one like a flashcard. One thing I wish I could do though is search so 2 different species show up, rather than 1 or all. That way I could 2 species in the search that look similar, then looking through the pictures I could practice noticing the difference

[@Cloveis]

Can you make a video about using “X” counts. For some reason, Its so confusing to me

[@dhitchcox]

Yeah, good idea. Maybe I'll save it for a series like the "Mistakes eBirders Make" video I just posted. But here is my quick answer: Don't use Xs. A guess is always better than an X, and as long as you are getting order of magnitude right (1, 10, 100...) then that is close enough.

[@michaelgrossman5913]

eBird reviewers here are on a power trip. They are rude and condescending at best.

[@dhitchcox]

Sorry to hear that. I've dealt with a few like that in my travels too...

[@darylbernard2616]

Outstanding! Thank you for your volunteer service as an eBird reviewer. As such, you help ensure our eBird data is as good as it can be. I know it's a time consuming and tedious process, and I truly appreciate it. Whenever I get an email from one of our reviewers, I always respond, and always finish my response with a thank you.

[@dhitchcox]

Thank you!!

[@greggillson388]

Excellent coverage of this topic. I was an eBird reviewer for many years before moving. Even so, how eBird creates the likely species was either new to me or I forgot. I’m an experienced birder, but I still make mistakes, so glad to have an eBird reviewer checking me. Often wish that I knew the final decision on some of my bird records. Are they not confirmed and that’s it? Or are they buried in the queue? Sometimes I wish my reports were passed on to experts beyond the local eBird reviewer.

[@dhitchcox]

Thanks! Yeah, knowing the ultimate outcome would be nice but I can understand why it might not be visible. In Maine, reviewers will defer to the state records committee, which often solicits input from experts on a species if needed. I do like how iNaturalist allows multiple people to contribute input to the final identification.

[@lilym1428]

Great video Doug! I would love to see a video about the process of adding more eBird reviewers to a given region. I completely agree that reviewers should have strong interpersonal and communication skills, but unfortunately it doesn't seem like that is the case in a lot of areas. In my personal experience, the eBird reviewers from my region have no transparency in regards to their review process, and rarely reply to emails asking for clarification about decisions/emails they have sent. I've talked to many birders who are qualified both in their identification and communication skills who have applied to be reviewers and either been rejected or ignored (more often the latter). This unfortunately continues to happen even though reviewers who are able to communicate effectively are desperately needed in the region. This video is the most transparency I have seen from a reviewer about the process itself and I very grateful something like this exists. While, like you said at the end of the video, it's unrealistic to expect an individual reviewer to review sightings *literally* every single day, it is worth noting that the eBird reviewer handbook states that reviewers should review their queue "at least once a week, if not daily." In my area at least, this doesn't happen, and it's another reason more reviewers are desperately needed. I would really love to see a video that discusses how the application process works behind the scenes and your thoughts, if you have any, about how it might be improved upon.

[@mylord9340]

This was very helpful and informative. Thanks.

[@dhitchcox]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mattzx003]

I always wondered if the 20x20 square used to determine frequency was centered on your location or used a fixed grid. The ebird website now states, "The "grid square" is the fixed 20x20km square in which the checklist occurs". Do you know if there is a way to see this grid?

[@dhitchcox]

If it is a fixed grid, I've never seen a way to find it. It would presumably be the same 20km grid (though they aren't square) that you see on the species map page (ebird.org/map/)

[@jamesgossweiler1349]

I had a reviewer flag a report I made on a Yellow-Throated Vireo. He emailed me and asked me to delete the sighting. Not sure why he asked...it wasn't an unusual sighting for the area.

[@dhitchcox]

Odd. I wonder why? We are on the northern edge of Yellow-throated Vireo range in Maine and sometimes see out of state birders reporting them in areas where they shouldn't be. Typically I write to them and we find out that it was just raspy sounding Red-eyed Vireos. Too bad they didn't explain their reasoning with you better!

[@csmart287]

Thanks

[@dhitchcox]

Thank YOU!

[@ChrisOrte9a]

You're absolutely right about reviewing being a thankless job, but from many observers' perspectives, it would have been nice to hear a little more acknowledgement about why some records need to be rejected and how that doesn't necessarily mean you don't trust the observer. The line about how old life list checklists "often come with a lot of errors," may well be accurate, but it's still an assumption when phrased that way. In my opinion, "often lack sufficient documentation necessary to meet the standard eBird requires for confimed data that gets used for science," would be a much better word choice. I know it's nitpicking, but the users who strongly dislike reviewers (a group I'm not a part of but can emphasize with) take these judgements very personally. Any opportunity to emphasize minimum standards for data integrity and point away from contentious personal distrust ought to be utilized.

[@dhitchcox]

Thanks for the comments. I was speaking pretty generally about list building errors, but will say that it usually isn't that they lack sufficient documentation, rather it is a location plotting issue (lots of checklists of people submitting their old puffin records end up at whatever tourist attraction they remember from that day -- there have been dozens of puffins reported from the top of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park) or lists spanning many days (all the birds seen in a week long visit, traveling all over the state, on one list). This is a good topic to take a deeper dive into in a future video. Thanks again!

[@newton888]

Is there a way for the average user to get that information like count thresholds and even subregions? It would be nice to learn more about my home region. Also, it could be helpful to make a better birding experience on those rare occasions I get to visit a new region.