BirdCast: Live and forecast maps of bird migration over the United States. iNaturalist: Map of wildlife and plant sightings shared by naturalists worldwide.
| BirdCast | iNaturalist | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Environment & Wildlife Maps | Environment & Wildlife Maps |
| Coverage | Contiguous United States | Worldwide |
| Updates | Live / real time | Continuously (community edits) |
| Data source | NEXRAD weather radar | Citizen science observations |
| Made by | Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Colorado State University and UMass Amherst | iNaturalist (non-profit) |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Account | No account needed | Free to view, account for extras |
| On phones | Works well on phones | Phone app available |
| Map view | Flat map | Flat map |
| Visits from ColorfulMaps | 0 | 0 |
| Open map | Open map |
What you can do with BirdCast
- Live migration maps from radar
- Three-night migration forecasts
- Local migration dashboards
What you can do with iNaturalist
- Map of millions of observations
- Search by species or place
- Identification help from the community
- Seek app for beginners
Summary based on public information. Check each map's website for current features and prices.