Australia

Even a bird as easy to identify as a Rainbow Bee-eater may need comments in Eremaea eBird for unseasonal records!

It happens to all Eremaea eBird users sooner or later. You’re entering a list of birds you sighted, and you get an automated request to “add comments” about an unusual bird or a high species total. For a volunteer eBird reviewer, the comments provided by the observer are the difference between validating a record without question and starting an email discussion with the observer, seeking further details. Unfortunately, all too often the comments provided by the observer are not helpful to the reviewers. Many comments are along the line of “best view ever!”, “lifer!!!” or “seen by six observers” and they don’t really help the reviewers with their job, necessitating an email to the observer. There are some things that you as an eBird user can do to help other birders and to also make the reviewer’s job a lot easier. This will also make your data more useful for future reviewers and researchers. And it’s all about what you enter in the comments box on the data entry screen.

There are two fields for comments in eBird. The comments field that appears at the top of the list of species is for general comments relating to the list as a whole. Then there is a comments field next to each individual species in your list. It’s the comment box next to each species that has to be filled in if you’re entering a rare bird or a high count (in other words, a species that has triggered the bioregional filter). Although you can enter information here that may be useful to others, such as precisely where you saw the bird, the most important and necessary information for reviewers is that you describe the field marks that enabled you to identify the bird and eliminate other species.

When describing a bird’s appearance, it’s best to start with how you identified to a group, and then describe the bird in detail. Some birders find it useful to start with the overall impression, and then describe the bird from head to tail, including notes on behaviour or voice. Be sure to say if you did take photos, even if you don’t have them ready to link to eBird when you’re entering the checklist. A picture is still worth a thousand words, and saves a lot of typing! You can add links to photos online and even add your photos to the eBird page on Flickr. A new feature to enable photos to be uploaded directly into eBird is expected to be available soon.

You can also use the species comment box to communicate with the reviewer. Remarks like “regular here”, “not unusual”, or “continuing” are valid comments. For high counts, useful comments include “estimated” or “estimated plus 7 additional birds”, “migration count”, and “counted by 10’s”. Counts with repeating digits may lead to queries about whether they are typos; is that 2000 supposed to be 200, and was that 111 Magpie-larks really 11 – or even 1? Entering comments as generic as “number as recorded” and “number double-checked” helps answer that question.

You may sometimes wonder why your record has triggered the filter; sometimes filters are set low to catch possible misidentifications (e.g. Leaden vs Satin Flycatcher), early or late migrants, or to ensure the report is seen by others. Setting the filters low notifies local birders and subscribers to eBird regional rarities.

Adding comments on how a bird was identified – or how a high count of a species was made – will earn you the gratitude of your eBird reviewer, and will give your record added validity. In years to come, your record will still withstand scrutiny because you have documented it properly.

For more on how to estimate numbers, see these eBird articles –
Bird Counting 101 
Bird Counting 201 

Contributed by Frank Antram; Originally written and published by Mary Gustafson on 8 March 2013 for eBird Texas and reproduced with permission, and with amendments relevant to Australian eBirders.