Editorial Policy

Readers use a bird guide to make small decisions: what they saw, where to look, how close to stand. Those decisions need accurate information. This policy explains how we try to provide it.

Accuracy before volume

• We never invent sightings, ranges, behavior or conservation status.
• If we cannot confirm a fact in a reliable source, we leave it out or say it varies.
• When something changes by region, season or migration, the page says so.

What counts as a source

In order of preference: the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (All About Birds and Birds of the World), the National Audubon Society, the IUCN Red List, US Fish and Wildlife Service and US Geological Survey publications, the American Ornithological Society for names and classification, and eBird for range and seasonal patterns. Wikipedia and general websites are not used as the only basis for a fact. See sources and identification criteria.

How entries are produced

Research and first drafts are prepared with AI-assisted tools. The drafts are written against the sources listed on each page and are compared with those sources. Text is rewritten in our own words, not copied. AI-assisted work can still contain mistakes, so we publish our sources, invite corrections, and fix errors quickly.

Conservation status

We report the IUCN Red List category and add US context only when a source supports it. Status and trends change. Each species page links to its sources so you can check the latest.

Responsible birding

We do not publish advice that encourages getting close to birds, disturbing nests, playing recordings to draw birds in, or feeding birds unsuitable food. We do not publish exact locations of sensitive nests or roosts.

Photos

We use photographs with free licenses from Wikimedia Commons and credit the author and license on each page. Photos show typical individuals. A bird in your yard may look different because of age, sex, season, wear or regional variation.

Independence

Editorial decisions are not for sale. We do not accept payment to feature a product, brand or location in our guides. If we show advertising in the future, it will be separate from the content and clearly distinguishable from it. We do not recommend specific commercial products as a result of advertising.

Updates and corrections

• Pages show the date the conservation status was last checked.
• We re-check status and range when sources are updated, and at regular intervals.
• To report an error, write to [email protected] with the page address and, if possible, a source. We correct confirmed errors and change the page right away.

Last updated: November 3, 2026.