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Birding's World Cup: Global Big Day—13 May (1 Viewer)

idaviesbird

eBird Project Coordinator
It’s that time of year again! Four weeks from yesterday is Global Big Day. More than 20,000 birders have taken part in the past two Global Big Days, setting back-to-back world records for the most bird species seen in a single day.

Last year’s Global Big Day (results) featured more than 60% of the world’s bird species in a single day, with sightings coming in from more than 17,500 eBirders spread across 154 countries. Want to be part of the fun this year? If you need an excuse to go enjoy birds on a lovely weekend day in May, we’ve got you covered.

Here are three quick ways to get started preparing and to have the most fun on Global Big Day:

  • “Scout” your birding spots for May 13. Finding where the birds are ahead of time makes the big day birding more fun, and also gives you more chances to be out enjoying birds. Perfect. Learn how to use eBird to find birds.
  • Use eBird Mobile. This free data-entry app makes it so you don’t have to enter your sightings at the end of the day, and tools like Quick Entry mean you have less time with your face in a notebook. Get eBird Mobile here.
  • Get a friend involved. Perhaps this is a good birding buddy, or someone who has never been birding before. Make it a friendly competition, or join forces as a Global Big Day team, and put your marker on the global participation map. Share on social media using #eBird_GBD. Check out the Facebook event.

No matter what you do—have a great time, enjoy the birds around you, and let us know what you find! We’re excited to see what we can achieve together on Global Big Day.
 
Nutcracker's point is that unless you use the American spelling - Gray Heron it doesn't work.

Why eBird doesn't allow both spellings, or indeed other synonyms, is a fair question.

Cheers
Mike
 
I think Nutcracker is just playing one of his favorite games ;)

tut...tut...:-O

I suppose as ebird was invented over the pond they have to stick with one vernacular name. However when I look down ebird records its a bit disconcerting to see American English names on birds seen outside N.America - not just the UK. The original English names are usually used, even in preference in these cases on other international references, field guides and trip reports etc etc.

I think it may be a good thing if ebird would link the two together and give an option for the user to choose which type of English name. No idea if that is feasible/practical. No problem with species confusion as the scientific names are right there too but it would help some of us not to keep doing a double-take so to speak - can be distracting/irritating when you're in "deep record digestion mode" ;)
 
Yes.

First, it's unacceptable imperialism, forcing people outside the USA to use USA spellings that they detest.

Second, a lot of users won't be familiar with the Americanisms, and will be unable to enter their data.

Solution: ebird must accept that Old World species should be corrected in their database to have Old World English spellings (grey, coloured, etc.). I have no objection to e.g. Gray Catbird, but I do have strong objections to being told that I'm too thick and stupid to be able to spell Grey Heron correctly. It isn't yours to dictate what it is called.
 
Yes.

First, it's unacceptable imperialism, forcing people outside the USA to use USA spellings that they detest.

Second, a lot of users won't be familiar with the Americanisms, and will be unable to enter their data.

Solution: ebird must accept that Old World species should be corrected in their database to have Old World English spellings (grey, coloured, etc.). I have no objection to e.g. Gray Catbird, but I do have strong objections to being told that I'm too thick and stupid to be able to spell Grey Heron correctly. It isn't yours to dictate what it is called.

Why don't you start a petition? I'm sure you'd get dozens (or maybe even scores!) of signatures in no time at all. ;)
 
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Yes.

First, it's unacceptable imperialism, forcing people outside the USA to use USA spellings that they detest.

Second, a lot of users won't be familiar with the Americanisms, and will be unable to enter their data.

Solution: ebird must accept that Old World species should be corrected in their database to have Old World English spellings (grey, coloured, etc.). I have no objection to e.g. Gray Catbird, but I do have strong objections to being told that I'm too thick and stupid to be able to spell Grey Heron correctly. It isn't yours to dictate what it is called.

Is this not the classic case for using latin names? Surely ebird allows for them, is that not the case?
 
Is this not the classic case for using latin names? Surely ebird allows for them, is that not the case?

Of course they use them - but many if not most users will not enter data using them.....


....And IF the vernacular names just happened to be in the original English (like Grey Catbird for example) would less Americans use ebird? I think it could be detrimental to get people using ebird its probably reducing potential input from the UK and beyond.

So - in celebration of ebird I suggest the administrators take heed. Its a fabulous resource!
 
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Is this not the classic case for using latin names? Surely ebird allows for them, is that not the case?

Yes, if you log in and select preferences you can select from several languages or scientific names based on Clements checklists.

I have selected English (UK) and entered Grey Heron and it works OK.
 
Yes, if you log in and select preferences you can select from several languages or scientific names based on Clements checklists.

I have selected English (UK) and entered Grey Heron and it works OK.

So one can enter names as one prefers - great - but does the list come up in the selected language?
 
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Nutcracker's point is that unless you use the American spelling - Gray Heron it doesn't work.

Why eBird doesn't allow both spellings, or indeed other synonyms, is a fair question.

Cheers
Mike

Mike

The short answer is that I have been involved in an e-mail exchange recently in which there has been very extensive discussion to provide suitable 'English' names for 'English' Checklists. It was a detailed exchange discussing many hundreds of species. In fact, I am happy to use 'American' names for this astonishing free-to-use resource and personally I would consider it impolite (very English of me) to complain about such minor wrinkles.

Nevertheless an extreme amount of work - spreadsheets running to many hundreds of lines - is ongoing to deal with issues such as Gray/Grey, Loon/Diver, Jaeger/Skua, etc but they'll still have objections about the unavailability of Bonxie, Tystie & Peewit.

Just back from a trip. One of the locals was using ebird on a mobile app in the field and shared the Checklists so I just need to pop in and personalise those against my notes today and add photos in due course. Astonishing stuff.

Oh for these systems to have been available 35 years ago!

All the best
 
That's great to know Paul - thank-you. For me its not exactly impolite its more of a distraction and as you point out well, considering how good ebird is, not a great problem. Its notable that this is being dealt with - and voluntarily. I have been putting off using ebird for my records far too long....
 
Yes, if you log in and select preferences you can select from several languages or scientific names based on Clements checklists.

I have selected English (UK) and entered Grey Heron and it works OK.

It shouldn't be necessary to log in - Grey Heron should be the default English name for Ardea cinerea.
 
It shouldn't be necessary to log in

Wait, so you mean to tell me it's not enough for the eBird staff to go out of their way to accomodate the individual preferences of their users, even down to extremely trivial issues such as the spelling of grey/gray? No, they need to make sure that even capricious non-users, who presumably do not contribute any data to eBird, should not be offended by their galling use of American English?

I'm glad I don't work for eBird, I wouldn't be able to deal with situations like these without a copious amount of prophanity ;)

(And I apologise/apologize in advance for any spelling mistakes, English is not my first language)
 
No question that eBird is a excellent tool.

It's also true that eBird would like to be the default global bird data system. The more user-friendly the system is, the more likely it is for this to happen.

Cajanuma - could be that non-users do not contribute because of the things that annoy/delay them? This may not be as trivial as you assume, especially where the national list taxonomy (including species order, different names, spellings and what constitutes a full species) differs from the eBird taxonomy. This is especially true when uploading historical data - and indeed has deterred me from doing so. When it becomes easier I'll think again.

I believe eBird understands this and is responding more positively than simply uttering profanities by constantly upgrading the usability of the system.

I'm delighted to hear that work is indeed being done to make it easier to use non-American English vernacular names - thank you Paul and all others involved in what sounds like a huge task!

Cheers
Mike
 
Cajanuma - could be that non-users do not contribute because of the things that annoy/delay them? This may not be as trivial as you assume, especially where the national list taxonomy (including species order, different names, spellings and what constitutes a full species) differs from the eBird taxonomy. This is especially true when uploading historical data - and indeed has deterred me from doing so. When it becomes easier I'll think again.

I believe eBird understands this and is responding more positively than simply uttering profanities by constantly upgrading the usability of the system.

I'm delighted to hear that work is indeed being done to make it easier to use non-American English vernacular names - thank you Paul and all others involved in what sounds like a huge task!

Cheers
Mike

Sure, but the point is that the British English option is already available, one only has to log in and choose it!

eBird can only have one default spelling for non-users, to dismiss the entire tool out of hand simply because that default spelling of a handful of bird names is not to one's liking just seems like the epitome of capriciousness to me.

Anyway, I think most of us here would agree that it is an exceptionally useful tool and quite easy to use, especially given that a huge amount of the work (like setting the filters and validating data) is done by volunteers.
 
I had a go at using eBird on last year's Global Big Day, which involved transferring hard copy lists onto my laptop - now I have an iphone I may try out the mobile app instead. I worry about sitting in a hide fiddling with my phone while interesting stuff flies past in front of my nose though...
It is a great resource, and it does seem trivial to complain about spelling of English names. What is more of an issue is the fact that it uses Clements taxonomy, when IOC seems to be seeing increasing adoption as the 'world' standard. Its utility as a record analysis tool will also be limited in areas of the world where observer take-up is less, which includes Britain. Here we have competing apps like BTOs Bird Track, which has (I understand) recently gone global, and is therefore essentially competing with eBird. In areas such as Britain, until you have integration between the two (and between lists submitted to local bird recorders and record centres), no single system will provide a comprehensive set of bird records. I think you have to bear that in mind when looking at any distribution map.
 
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