eBird
Retrieve recent or notable birding observations within a region.
About eBird
eBird API 2.0 provides programmatic access to bird observation data collected through the eBird platform. It exposes endpoints for retrieving observation data, as well as reference data covering geography, hotspots, taxonomy, and regions. Requests are authenticated with an API key tied to an eBird account, submitted via an "x-ebirdapitoken" request header or as a "key" parameter, and responses default to JSON format.
The API is intended for developers building applications that consume bird sighting and location data, such as species lists by region, historic observations by date, and nearest observations of a specific species. It replaces the retired 1.1 version of the API.
Key features
- Provides bird observation data via data/obs endpoints (recent, historic, nearest observations)
- Reference data for geography, hotspots, taxonomy, and regions (ref/geo, ref/hotspot, ref/taxonomy, ref/region)
- Species list lookup by region code (product/spplist)
- JSON-formatted API responses by default
- API key authentication tied to an eBird account
Frequently asked questions
Does the eBird API require an API key?
Yes, nearly all endpoints require a key tied to your eBird account, sent via the 'x-ebirdapitoken' header or a 'key' request parameter.
What data format does the API return?
The default response format is JSON unless otherwise noted.
What kind of data can I access with the eBird API?
You can access bird observation data as well as reference data for geography, hotspots, taxonomy, and regions.
How do I get access to the eBird API?
You sign up for a key on the eBird website using your eBird account.
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