Contribute to the Birdability Map

The Birdability Map is a crowdsourced map which describes the accessibility features of birding locations all over the world. This allows people with accessibility challenges to find out in advance if a birding location is one they would like to visit. Your contributions are so helpful in making birding and the outdoors more inclusive and accessible!

How to submit a Birdability Site Review

Step 1: Have a read over the Access Considerations Guidance Document. This explains different accessibility features and why they’re important. There are also short 1-2 minute videos that explain these features further. Now you know what to look for when you’re conducting a Birdability Site Review!

• If you would like to take notes in the field, download and print the Birdability Site Review Checklist. Don’t forget, you’ll have to transfer this information electronically to the Birdability Map once you’re back at your computer!

• You can also download a fillable PDF of the Birdability Site Review Checklist here. This is helpful if you wanted to save paper and fill it out on your tablet or smartphone in the field… but you’ll still need to put this information into the Birdability Map once you’re back online. (If you have cell service at the site, we recommend saving this step and inputting your information directly into the Birdability Map, as instructed below in Step 2.)

Step 2: Visit the Birdability Map — above the map, click the button that says “Submit a Birdability Site Review”. It will open up a checkbox survey. Complete that, click “Submit”, and you’re done! Please note: It is not currently possible to edit submissions after you click “Submit”, so please check your work first!

Frequently Asked Questions about submitting to the Birdability Map

• What do you mean by “birding locations”?
  Trails, bird blinds, observation platforms and feeder stations are all included. So are car birding sites! Any public place someone might go birding is a “birding location”.

• How accessible do they have to be, to be included on the Birdability Map?
  Birding locations don’t have to be perfectly and completely accessible; very few places truly are. They just need to be “reasonably” accessible. Not everybody with an accessibility challenge requires all of the features of a truly accessible birding location to be able to visit it with success. Knowing what is and isn’t available is the helpful information.

  • Is the trail concrete, asphalt or a wooden boardwalk?

  • Is the trail flat and at least 3 ft (1 m) wide?

  • Are there signs with tactile (touchable) components, or guide ropes to help folks who are blind or have low vision navigate independently?

  If the answer to one or more of the above questions is “Yes” then it is a good candidate for a Birdability Site Review!

  Please avoid submitting Birdability Site Reviews for birding locations that:

  • Have sections of trail steeper than what you would consider a ‘gentle rise’;

  • Involve multiple sections of trail with more than three steps (unless there is an appropriate ramp for each set of steps); or

  • Require any amount of navigating around or over large obstacles, including rocks or large roots.

• Do these locations have to be in the US?
  Not at all! You can toggle and ‘drag’ the Birdability Map to anywhere in the world, and we’d love you to submit Birdability Site Reviews for other countries! Birdability is based in the US, but our work applies all over the world and we’d love to see more Site Reviews across the planet.

• How long does it take to submit a Birdability Site Review?
  Not long! Once you’re familiar with the Access Considerations and you’ve done it once or twice, it should only take you about 10-15 minutes to complete a Birdability Site Review. However, if you print the Birdability Site Review Checklist and fill it out on paper, or complete the downloadable .pdf on a smartphone or tablet, it will take longer because you will still need to enter this information into the system once you’re back at a computer with internet access.

• I don’t know if I’m qualified to complete Birdability Site Reviews…
  There is no qualification required! You just need some observation skills. The questions are set up for you to report on what is or isn’t present; you don’t have to make any judgement calls. If there’s a question you can’t really answer, you can leave it blank or make your best guest. (Best to note in the “Comments” box that it was your best guess!)

• What do I do if the trail is really long and I can’t review its entirety?

  Please do add it to the Birdability Map… in segments. Just review one segment of the trail at a time, and be sure to include that in the answer to first question of the Birdability Site Review (eg. “Super Great Trail at Bird Sanctuary, from the west end parking lot to the first exit at Accessibility Road”.) Don’t forget to manually drag and drop the pin to one of the ends of your segment too!

• Ops! I forgot to add something to my Site Review! How do I edit?
  We are working on a big update with National Audubon Society, who host the Birdability Map. We’re looking forward to having the edit feature available soon! In the meantime, if there’s something you’d like to edit or update, please contact us to let us know.

• I have some feedback for making the Birdability Map easier to use. Who do I send it to?
  At the moment we are working on a big update with National Audubon Society, who host the Birdability Map. We’re excited to add a lot of new features to make the Birdability Map more user-friendly. Please contact us to let us know what would make the Birdability Map easier for you to use.

Please note: The Birdability Map is based on the most recent information provided to Birdability and National Audubon by local contributors. Trail conditions change and each site may pose challenges unique to users with disabilities or other health concerns, in addition to the inherent risks associated with outdoor recreation that apply to everybody. Please check out current trail conditions, exercise caution, and proceed at your own risk. Happy birding!