Thursday, May 26, 2011

Warbler Guy, which bird apps are the best ones? Are apps for birds worth their price? Is iBird Pro app better than Peterson Birds of N. America?


Good question, Harrison (in Tacoma).

I like and use a few.

My faves include (in order of preference):

1. Peterson Birds of North America, Appweavers.com ($29.99)
This one has premium features that make it easy to navigate, plus you can enter your own
sightings to create lists that provide you an ongoing journal of your birding forays. This feature alone helps personalize
it and provides an interactivity that is missing in the other apps. Plus, you can "talk" with your birding friends to compare and contrast how your day's list of bird sightings is different from theirs.

2. iBird Pro ($29.99), ibirdexplorer.com
When it's quick access you need to hear a bird sing, then this is the app you should draw from your holster.
Its simple, easy design makes it a pleasure to use, with the premium edition (this one) more pricey ($29.95)
than many bird apps, yet worth the price. Photos of a bird, its range map, information, vocalizations and more
present for more than 600 species.

3. Sibley Guide to birds of North America ($29.95), http://www.mydigitalearth.com
Featuring more than 6,600 bird images and 2,300 song files. My favorite feature is the visual representation of each succeeding age class among multiple gull drawings featured in the Laridae family area.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great info......Barney S., Rochester, MN

Anonymous said...

I'd like to buy them all, but the Peterson and Sibley one seem to be the best for my tastes.

Jennifer Ludden, Mankato, MN

Anonymous said...

My vote: Peterson one; it's new but AOK

Anonymous said...

I agree with you: Peterson's, tho iBird Pro is AOK too.

Jason H., Beaverton, OR