Wood Thrush © Curtis Marantz / Macaulay Library
eBird provides open data access in several formats, from raw data to processed datasets for rigorous scientific modeling. For those doing scientific work, please see our more detailed information on using eBird for science.
Quick Links
Downloading your personal eBird data
Additional Download Formats (Bar Charts, Media, etc.)
If you use eBird data in a way that results in a specific conservation action or peer-reviewed publication, please let us know.
eBird Basic Dataset (EBD)
The EBD is the core dataset for accessing all raw eBird observations and associated metadata. The EBD is updated on the 15th of each month and is available by direct download to any logged-in user after completing a brief project description form. New requests are typically approved within 7 days.
What information is included? Every row in the EBD corresponds to a species observation on an eBird checklist, including effort details, latitudes, longitudes, regions and region codes. Visit the EBD page to download a sample file.
You will also have the option of downloading provisional / unvetted records (observations 'flagged' by the eBird Data Quality process that have not yet been Accepted or Unconfirmed by an eBird volunteer reviewer) and sampling event data (checklist-level details only). Every row in the latter corresponds to an individual eBird checklist and can be helpful for establishing species absence.
Reading and Analyzing the EBD
Data are delivered via email in a tab-delimited text file which can be opened in Excel as well as a variety of other programs. Although Excel may work for basic analyses, for larger datasets (>1 million rows) or more sophisticated analyses, we recommend using programs like R.
There are several R packages available for summarizing data, including one that is managed here at the Cornell Lab specifically for working with the EBD dataset: auk: eBird Data Extraction and Processing with AWK
Note: the previously-available “ERD” has been replaced with the ability for any user to assign habitat covariates to the EBD. Learn how to assign covariates here.
eBird Observational Dataset (EOD)
The EOD is updated annually and made available through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. The EOD contains basic occurrence data including species, date, and location. Additional metadata associated with these observations, including sampling event data (such as effort), are not included.
eBird API
The eBird API is designed for limited, recent and summary outputs of eBird data. A unique personal API key must be used for all queries through the eBird API and can be requested here.
eBird Status and Trends
eBird Status and Trends provide an unparalleled window into the full annual cycle of bird populations at continental scales. Cornell Lab of Ornithology researchers have developed novel statistical techniques to model the range, abundance, and trends for each species using eBird data and environmental covariates.
How to download eBird Status and Trends data. We also provide the R package ebirdst to help access, manipulate, and analyze these data.
Downloading your personal eBird data
To download your own data go to My eBird and then to ‘Download my data’ on the right side. This query generates a spreadsheet with all your personal eBird data. Here is a direct link to download your data.
Additional Download Formats
- Photos, sounds, or video recordings: Are licensed and requested through the Macaulay Library (how to request permission to use eBird media).Bar charts/Histogram data: Scroll down to the bottom of the bar charts page and click ‘Download Histogram Data’ in the bottom right corner.
- Maps, charts, and screenshots from the eBird website can be used according to our citation policy.