As you read these words, you will probably be noticing that everything on the eBird homepage looks shiny and new! We’re delighted to share our new redesigned home for eBird. These new pages are the first step toward a full eBird redesign that will unify the look and feel of eBird, and will also make it much easier to use on mobile devices. The redesign makes it easier for users to get started with eBird for the first time and steers returning users to their favorite parts of the site more quickly than ever. In the coming months we’ll also be working through the rest of the pages in eBird, bringing them all into the same look and feel and ensuring that all of eBird works on mobile devices.
In addition to the new layout, there are a few new tools for you to play with as well. First off is the ‘checklist streak’ stat: the number of consecutive days for which you’ve submitted any kind of eBird checklist. Can you surpass your lifetime max streak? Can you make eBirding part of your daily routine? There are also new feeds of photos and sounds that show the top-rated images and sounds that have been uploaded to eBird in the past two days. Add your photos and sounds to your checklists and maybe you’ll show up on the eBird homepage! Perhaps most importantly, eBird Science information also has a home now, providing easy access to eBird data products for anyone. Check it out!
eBird regional portals have also gotten some new tools, including regionalized versions of all of your stats. Want to see the recent top photos and sounds from Central America? Or your all-time stats for Canada? Find out if your state, country, or region has an eBird portal. If you visit any of these pages while you’re logged-out, you’ll also be able to see a new view of the homepage that helps you share eBird with others more easily. These include some new Resources pages that give tips on how to use eBird most effectively, and a new video that summarizes eBird in under 3 minutes. Sharing eBird with friends has never been easier!
Next on our to-do list is a redesign of Explore Data, which will better organize eBird’s data exploration tools and make them work much better on mobile devices. Stay tuned for more in the coming months and consider becoming an eBird Partner if you want the exclusive first look.