Answers to the most common questions are below. If you still need help, email us. A real person reads every message.
For the best results, get as close to the bird as you safely can and keep background noise (wind, traffic, conversation) to a minimum. Very quiet or very distant calls may be skipped. Also make sure BirdScout has microphone access: iOS Settings > BirdScout > Microphone.
Yes. Identification runs entirely on your device, so it works deep in the wilderness with no signal. Species photos and detailed descriptions need a connection to load, and your discoveries back up to the cloud automatically once you're back online.
Absolutely. You can import audio files, share a Voice Memo straight to BirdScout with the iOS Share Sheet, or pick a video from your photo library. The app pulls out the audio and finds every bird in the recording, each marked at the moment it called. Free accounts can import 3 recordings per day (up to 5 minutes each); Pro removes those limits.
Yes. Open the sighting and choose from the other likely matches, or change the species yourself. Corrections are saved and labeled, and you can revert them anytime. You can also send us feedback on an identification directly from the app, which helps us improve.
The free app includes real-time identification, your life list, the sighting map, achievements, and the regional field guide. BirdScout Pro adds unlimited recording imports, longer recordings, the full list of alternative matches for tricky calls, advanced stats, eBird-ready export, and premium species insights.
If you've reinstalled the app or switched devices, go to Settings inside the app (the gear icon on the Record screen) and tap Restore Purchases. Make sure you're signed in to the same Apple ID you used for the original purchase.
BirdScout needs location permission to pin sightings to the map: iOS Settings > BirdScout > Location > "While Using the App". Tip: if you'd rather not store precise locations, the app's privacy settings include an option that blurs saved coordinates by about a mile.
No. You can start birding right away as a guest. If you sign in later (with Apple or a one-time email code; no password needed), the sightings you collected as a guest carry over to your account.
Yes. BirdScout Pro can export your sightings as a CSV file in eBird's record format, ready to upload. It makes a handy backup, too.
You can delete your account, including all synced recordings, photos, and life list data, directly from the app's settings. Prefer email? Contact us from the address associated with your account and we'll take care of it.
Still need help? Reach out at contact@ekhova.com and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.