New NatureCounts app launches to streamline data collection on bird populations

Between June 6 and 11, 13 community volunteers took part in a citizen science project, putting in 183 hours of atlassing bird populations at park in the Ottawa Valley.

Bonnechere Provincial Park, located about 150 km northwest of Ottawa, was the site of Birds Canada’s latest Square Bash, which brings together those from the organization, as well as volunteers and representatives from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to survey avian populations.

Over the course of five days, the group collectively conducted 293 point counts and surveyed a total of 22 individual 10 square kilometre parcels in the region.

“It was one of the most well attended and productive square bashes we’ve had yet,” a representative from Birds Canada told CityNews in an email statement. “It helped us advance our project goals in this fifth and final year of the Ontario Breeding Atlas Program.”

The Ontario Breeding Atlas Program is a joint citizen science effort to map the distribution and abundance of breeding birds across the province. The initiative is spearheaded by Birds Canada in conjunction with the Canadian Wildlife Service, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Ontario Field Ornithologists, and Ontario Nature.

The Bonnechere bash was unique because it marked the launch of a new version of the NatureCounts app that would aid in the accuracy and efficiency in cataloging bird populations.

Birds Canada teamed up with Punchcard Systems in 2019 with the idea for an app that would modernize how bird data is collected across the country. The first edition was launched in 2020 and has since evolved. This edition’s newest cutting edge technological feature is the point count technology that allows for more effective tracking while eliminating the potential error of manual methods. 

“Users can record bird sightings in a structured way at specific time intervals and locations, based on the parameters set by the research leads,” Sam Jenkins, managing partner at Punchcard Systems, told CityNews. “The app automatically handles the details like GPS tracking and offline syncing, so people can focus on observing birds, not fighting with their tech.”

In fact, the app was designed with simplicity in mind, catering to everyday users. The app works offline and caches the individual’s survey settings. It also has smart tools to speed up data entry making the process efficient and effective.

The app makes it easier for individuals to help collect data in areas that may have formerly been under surveyed and hard to reach. This data is then used by organizations like Birds Canada to assess the status of various populations across the country.

“Birds Canada had the deep scientific knowledge and a bold vision for modernizing bird monitoring, but needed a partner to translate that into a powerful, accessible digital experience. That’s where we came in,” Jenkins said. “NatureCounts is a great example of what happens when tech and conservation come together: scalable tools that empower communities, improve data quality, and ultimately contribute to tackling urgent challenges like biodiversity loss.”