Calling Birdsharers: We’ve Got a Wish List (Part One)

Since we started Birdshare in late July it’s taken on a life of its own. We now have nearly 350 members and more than 4,300 photos, with more streaming in every day.

Birdshare members sometimes ask if we’re looking for any species in particular. And now, as we start to put together new species account pages for All About Birds, that answer is an emphatic (and grateful) yes – see our Top 10 Most Wanted list below.

Our new wireframe design calls for a much greater emphasis on photographs than the current All About Birds species guide. Having more and better photographs means you’ll be better able to identify birds and compare different plumages. The only catch, of course, is that means we need lots of pictures.

So I’ve checked Birdshare to see how many photos we have of the birds on my species account to-do list, which is made up of 100 of the most common birds across the country. The results are pretty encouraging – 93 Red-tailed Hawk photos and counting, 64 cardinal shots, and a dozen more common species represented in 40 or more photos – nice work, Birdsharers!

Our list does have some surprising gaps, though – so please check your photo archives for any of these species:

Top Ten Most Wanted Birds on Birdshare:

1. California Towhee

2. Mountain Chickadee

3. European Starling

4. Common Grackle

5. Rock Pigeon

6. Chestnut-backed Chickadee

7. Gray Catbird

8. Spotted Towhee

9. Purple Finch

10. House Wren

This is just Part One of our Most Wanted List – we’ll roll out the next installment in a week or so. As always, thanks for Birdsharing, and enjoy your photography! The rest of us certainly do.

Don’t know what Birdshare is? Read a description here – then grab your camera and head on over!