How to do it
- Check whether the app needs an account. An account exists so a service can attach your recordings and locations to an identity. That is only necessary if they are leaving the phone.
- Ask where recognition happens. If identification runs on a server, your audio and your position are being transmitted from wherever you happen to be standing.
- Keep location optional. BirdHere can use approximate location for season and region context. It is optional, and it is rounded before local use.
- Keep the journal yours. Entries stay on the device and can be exported or deleted whenever you want.
Why this matters for a birding app specifically
- A birding log is a detailed record of where a person goes, when, and how often — often including their home garden.
- Field audio also captures whatever else was audible, including conversation.
- BirdHere performs recognition on the device, has no account and no advertising, and does not upload audio for recognition.
- Species photographs are opt-in and fetched only when you tap the request, never in the background.
Honest limits
BirdHere reports what it cannot tell you rather than filling the gap with a confident guess.
- Downloading a regional pack or an opt-in species photograph requires a connection at that moment.
- App Store purchases and restoring World Pass go through Apple’s services.
- BirdHere can be wrong and is not a substitute for expert confirmation.
Questions
Does BirdHere require an account?
No. There is no sign-in.
Is my location tracked?
Approximate location is optional and is rounded before local use. It provides season and region context rather than a precise log.
Are my recordings uploaded?
Audio is not uploaded for recognition. Recognition runs on the device.
Can I delete my journal?
Yes. Journal entries stay on the device and can be exported or deleted at any time.