FAQs

Help With Interactive Maps

Explore bird observations on the Google map by clicking here.

Here’s how to explore data:

  • Find your exact location by zooming into the map. You can zoom into the map by double clicking on the map, scrolling with your mouse, or using the slider zoom tool on the left of the map.
  • Simply click on one of the red markers to see a graph of observations, comments, a zoomed-in map view, and photos of the birds seen.
  • Click on the larger blue “cluster” markers to see multiple birdwatch sites near each other. Each of the blue “cluster” markers has a number on it. This number indicates the number of birdwatch sites in the area. Once you click on the blue marker, a window will appear zoomed into the location. You’ll be prompted to click on the blue marker again to see each of the sites (represented by the red markers). You can then click on the red markers to see the exact locations and see a graph of observations, comments, and photos.
  • If you want to explore a summary of observations by geographic area, please use the “aggregation tool.” It looks like a light blue polygon and can be found towards the top of the map. Click on it once, then click on an area of the map you want to explore. This will anchor the polygon. Click on another area of the map and a dotted line will appear from your first anchor to the second. In this way mark off a city, neighborhood, region, state, or portion of the country. To complete your polygon, simply click on your last anchor. A window will appear with a summary of the total of all bird observations in that area. You can delete the polygon by clicking on the “delete this polygon” link on the polygon’s data window.
  • Don’t forget to explore the map by using the map, satellite, and terrain views found on the upper right corner of the map.
  • If you want expand the map on your screen, use the arrow at the top left corner of the map.
  • If you want to get a zoomed-out perspective of your location on the map, click on the arrow at the bottom right of the map. A small mini-map will appear showing you a zoomed-out view of the area you are exploring. You can also move the small square on the mini-map to take you to the area of the world you’d like to see.
  • If you want to collapse the map legend, click on the botom left arrow.

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