The best apps for bird photography
Bird photography has three separate problems: find the bird, identify the bird, and not miss the shot. Almost no single app does all three — here's the honest split, and the best free option for each.
Last reviewed 2026-07. We include tools that beat ours — if a competitor is the right answer, we say so. ShootSm.art is made by Future Vision Concepts.
What to look for
- Finding vs identifying vs shooting — they're different tools, don't expect one app to do all three.
- Free matters here: the two best birding tools (Merlin, eBird) are free and hard to beat.
- Anything that helps you shoot faster is worth more than anything with more features.
At a glance
| Tool | Best for | Platforms | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBird | Finding where the birds actually are | Web · iOS · Android | Free |
| Merlin Bird ID | Identifying what you just photographed (or heard) | iOS · Android | Free |
| ShootSm.artours | Getting sharp birds once you've found them | Web · installable (PWA) | Free tier · Pro subscription |
| PhotoPills | Planning landscape, night and astro shoots | iOS · Android | One-time purchase |
| Windy / Clear Outside | Predicting flight activity and light | Web · iOS · Android | Free |
eBird
Cornell's birding database — recent sightings and hotspots near you.
Strengths
- The best way to find a species before you waste a morning
- Real sightings from real birders, updated constantly
Limitations
- A birding tool, not a photography tool
Merlin Bird ID
Cornell's free bird identification app — by photo, sound or description.
Strengths
- Genuinely excellent and completely free, from Cornell Lab
- Sound ID is uncannily good in the field
Limitations
- Identification only — it has nothing to say about your camera settings
ShootSm.artours
A coach that gives settings for your exact body and lens — including reach from your crop factor and how far you can push ISO.
Strengths
- Birds-in-flight settings tuned to your body's autofocus class and clean-ISO limit
- Works out your effective reach (a 400mm on a 1.6× crop frames like 640mm)
- Rate your shots and it learns which settings actually work for you
Limitations
- Won't find or identify birds — pair it with eBird and Merlin
- Web-first, not a native app
PhotoPills
The deep planning app for sun, moon and Milky Way, with AR previews and a pile of calculators.
Strengths
- The most complete planner out there — sun/moon/Milky Way, AR night-sky, timelapse and DOF calculators in one app
- One-time price, no subscription
- Superb for scouting a spot before you drive out to it
Limitations
- Genuinely steep learning curve — it rewards study
- Mobile only, and it plans the shoot rather than telling you what to dial in
Windy / Clear Outside
Wind and cloud forecasting.
Strengths
- Wind direction genuinely predicts where birds take off and land into
- Free
Limitations
- Generic forecasting; nothing bird- or camera-specific
Common questions
What's the best free app for bird photography?
For finding birds, eBird. For identifying them, Merlin Bird ID. Both are free, from Cornell Lab, and genuinely excellent. For the camera side, ShootSm.art's free tier gives settings tuned to your body and a printable cheat sheet.
Is there an app that tells me what settings to use for birds in flight?
Yes. ShootSm.art gives you a starting point for your exact camera and lens — typically around 1/2000s, f/5.6–8, Auto ISO with continuous AF and bird-eye detection, adjusted for your body's ISO headroom and reach.
Do I need PhotoPills for bird photography?
Not really. PhotoPills shines for planning landscape and astro shoots. For birds, your light planning is usually just 'be there at sunrise' — eBird and a wind forecast do more for your hit rate.