EuroBirdPortal launches real-time bird tracking map for Europe

The EuroBirdPortal (EBP), a project of the European Bird Census Council, has launched an updated online viewer that allows users to track nearly 600 bird species across Europe in near real-time. The tool uses animated maps to show weekly changes in species distribution, enabling users to compare different species, years, or time periods.

The system relies on a massive citizen science network, integrating data from approximately 200,000 professional and amateur observers. These contributors provide sightings through 21 different European ornithological platforms, including eBird and Ornitho, which have collected up to 750 million observations over the last decade.

Unlike traditional scientific censuses that focus on specific breeding or wintering seasons, this new version allows for year-round monitoring. Gabriel Gargallo, director of the Institut Català d’Ornitologia (ICO), noted that the data is essential for determining if species populations are increasing, decreasing, or shifting their geographic distribution.