Looking for a birdwatching app? We can help with that

Birdwatching has steadily risen in popularity around the world since the Covid-19 pandemic. Apps have become an essential part of birding – as it’s also called – with scores of young people picking up the hobby. Gone are the days of lugging around heavy reference books, when birders can identify bird species, upload photos and share their findings with other bird enthusiasts by clicking a button. 

However, choosing the right app for your needs can be daunting, especially if you’re a beginner birdwatcher. So we asked bird enthusiasts to review a few local apps to help you along.

Ernst Retief, the spatial planning and data project manager at BirdLife SA, said identifying the type of app you need is a good place to start.