Using the new eBird Targets app to find Tropical Kingbirds in Puerto Vallarta

By Jennie Miller January 12, 2015

For most birders, there’s almost always an opportunity to add a new species to a list—a migrant, a vagrant, an irruptive, or just a bird that you’ve never been able to nail down.

If you use eBird, then eBirds’s new Targets app can make it easy to tack on those easy gets, and get your most wanted birds, wherever you are and at any time of year.

Simply enter your location and time period, then sit back while eBird cross-references your current life list against birds seen by others in that region. eBird Targets will give you a list of your missing species, along with the frequency of how often they’re seen (so you can gauge your chances of getting them) and a link to a map of spots where they’re being seen.

Use eBird Targets around your home to spend a quick morning filling out a few missing species on your list. Or use it for trip planning when you’re going on vacation and want to target the best spots for getting some new birds.

Here’s an example. Say you’re headed to Puerto Vallarta for a little winter respite. As you pack your bags and your binos, spend a few minutes with eBird Targets to hatch your game plan for adding Mexican birds to your life list. First, specify your dates and destination (in this case, the state of Jalisco).

Then, eBird does the math to list and sort your soon-to-be lifers in order of how likely you are to see them.

Fianlly, eBird gives you a map of where you may find the birds you’re looking for. In this case, Tropical Kingbirds abound, just steps from your hotel!