PATCHBIRD
EXPLORER
EXPANDING BIRD KNOWLEDGE BEYOND THE HOTSPOTS.
WHY REMOTE SURVEYS MATTER.
While traditional birding often centres on well-known hotspots, vast areas of the landscape remain underbirded and undocumented. These overlooked habitats—from roadside scrub to remote agricultural fields—hold important avian data that could reshape our understanding of species distribution and abundance.
The PatchBird Explorer initiative was created to help fill these gaps. By applying the same standardised survey methodology used in the core PatchBird Initiative, travelling birders can contribute scientifically valuable data from locations that might otherwise be missed—transforming casual exploration into meaningful conservation insight.
The Mustached Turca (Pteroptochos megapodius) is a highly sought-after endemic of central Chile, known for its skulking behaviour and striking facial markings. A prized sighting for any birder exploring the Chilean matorral. © Gyorgy Szimuly
HOW IT WORKS.
REQUESTING GRID CORNER POINTS.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE.
CHECKLIST
SHARING.
GET INVOLVED.
PATCHBIRD EXPLORER MAP.
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Survey Off-the-Grid Locations – Choose remote or underbirded sites along your journey.
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Follow the 15-Minute Sampling Method – Conduct a short, structured survey recording all bird species observed.
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Submit to eBird – Submit and share your checklist, helping to expand global avian datasets.
To facilitate this process, participants need to share their eBird username with the project through private communication. It is also recommended to designate the chosen survey location as a local patch in eBird, as this can yield unexpected and valuable observations over time.
To ensure consistency in remote-location surveys, PatchBird Explorer uses a standardised 10×10 km grid system. Travellers interested in contributing must request a set of grid corner points for their anticipated survey area prior to their trip.
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How to Request a Grid: Contact PatchBird Explorer with your travel plans, and a customised grid will be created for your region of interest.
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How to Choose a Survey Spot: Each grid cell includes a 50-meter radius buffer area, allowing flexibility in selecting accessible off-the-grid locations while maintaining adherence to the project’s structured methodology.
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eBird Integration: As global UTM grids are not directly supported in eBird, survey locations will be manually assigned by the project coordinator and shared with each participant.
By following this system and applying the same standardised methodology used in the core PatchBird Initiative, participants contribute to a structured, globally consistent dataset—helping expand our knowledge of bird distribution far beyond traditional hotspots.
Any travelling birder willing to stop beyond the usual hotspots can make a valuable contribution. Whether you're exploring remote deserts, mountain passes, or quiet rural landscapes, your observations help build a broader understanding of avian diversity, distribution, and habitat use across under-surveyed regions.
Note: The eBird username for PatchBird Explorer is different from that of the main PatchBird Initiative.
By simply pausing for 15 minutes at each location, you help document birdlife in areas that often go unnoticed. If you're interested in contributing or would like to learn more, join the initiative today by filling out the sign-up form on our homepage.
This interactive map shows the growing reach of the PatchBird Explorer initiative. Each marker represents a surveyed location where birders took time to document species in overlooked or remote areas using the PatchBird protocol.
Right now, you're seeing points from our pilot trip to Sicily, but this map will continue to grow as more travellers join in. Whether it’s a roadside patch, a desert trail, or a quiet mountain slope, each square brings us closer to a fuller picture of global bird diversity – beyond the hotspots.
Curious to add your own square? Join the initiative and help expand the map!