Before You Go (5 to 15 Minute Setup)
Step 1: Install & Prepare Apps
You’ll need:
eBird
Merlin Bird ID
All Birds PR → Antigua
What To Do:
Download all three apps
Create free accounts
In eBird, download the Puerto Rico bird pack (Settings ---> Packs ---> Puerto Rico)
In Merlin, download the Caribbean bird pack (Settings ---> My offline birds ---> Caribbean)
Beginner Tip:
Do this on Wi-Fi before heading out—cell service can be spotty to non-existent in remote areas of Vieques.
Step 1: Open eBird
Step 2: Click on Explore to find where birds are active
Step 3: Adjust the filters as you see fit (three bars, upper right-hand corner - Radius and Time period)
What You’ll See:
Map with red markers (recent hotspots) and blue markers (older sightings)
List of recent sightings with timestamps
Tap:
“Explore” → Zoom into Vieques
Select a hotspot (example: lagoon, wildlife refuge area, forest trail, etc.)
Scroll the bottom section left or right to see the full picture
Look for:
Birds reported in the last 24–48 hours
High species counts (a good sign of activity)
Beginner Tip:
If multiple people have recently reported the same bird, your chances of seeing it go way up.
Step 2 - Spot a Bird in the Field
What you’ll notice:
Bird silhouettes flying overhead
Birds in trees, the mud flats, or the shore
Calls coming from trees or lagoons
Movement in mangroves or the forest canopy
Pause and observe:
Size (sparrow vs. pigeon vs. heron)
Color patterns
Behavior (wading vs. flying vs. perched?
Beginner Tip:
Don’t rush to identify—watch first. Behavior and location are often more helpful than color.
Step 3: Identify the Bird (Merlin)
Open Merlin
Buttons you’ll see:
“Sound ID”
“Photo ID”
“Step-by-step ID”
Option A: Sound ID
Great for Beginners BUT not always accurate, especially in Puerto Rico
Tap: “Sound ID” → Start recording
What happens:
Merlin listens and displays live species suggestions
What to look for:
Species names popping up in real time
Confidence indicators
Option B: Photo ID
Tap: “Photo” → take a picture
What happens:
Merlin suggests matches based on the image
Option C: Step-by-Step
Answer:
Size
Main colors
Behavior
Beginner Tip:
Sound ID is the easiest win in the continental United States, especially as many birds are heard before they’re seen.
Cautionary Tale:
Merlin’s accuracy in the Caribbean is low due to the lack of audio recordings. For instance, there has been a recent surge in Mourning Dove reports during the last year. Mourning Doves are rare on the island in most seasons, except for the summer when they are fairly common. Because most of the Vieques eBird reports are from residents of North America (all of whom would be familiar with Mourning Dove calls), they may not be aware that Zenaida Doves sound very similar; hence, they often identify Zenaida Doves as Mourning Doves. The odds are that when you hear a Mourning Dove, it is actually a Zenaida Dove. Because Merlin is AI-generated, it requires at least 150 recordings to achieve a reasonable degree of accuracy. The bottom line is that Cornell’s sound library for Caribbean birds is in need of more recordings. The lesson learned is simple... do not rely solely on Merlin sound ID to identify a bird or birds.
Step 4: Log Your Sighting (eBird)
Before you press the green "Start checklist” button, do these five things!
Make sure the date is correct (adjust as needed)
Make sure the time is correct (adjust as needed)
Make sure the "Record track" button is on (slider to the right). Even if you are doing a stationary count, it helps researchers and others know where you birded)
Choose projects (mostly for advanced users)
Double check to make sure your Bird Pack is up to date (best to do before you leave wi-fi, but better now than never)
Tap:
“Start Checklist”
Enter:
Location (auto-detected)
Time and duration
Add birds:
Type species name
Enter count (even an estimate is fine, but enter "Estimate" in the comments field
What your screen looks like:
Running list of birds
Option to add notes or photos
Tap “Submit” when done
Beginner Tip:
Even a short 20-minute checklist is valuable. Don’t wait for a “perfect” list.
Step 5: Learn More (All Birds PR → Antigua)
Screen 5: Species List / Map
What you’ll see:
Full checklist of Puerto Rico + Antigua birds
Species profiles
Local hotspots
Tap a bird to view:
Photos
Habitat info
Seasonal patterns
Use this app to:
Confirm what should be in the area
Discover birds you missed
Plan your next stop
Beginner Tip:
If you see a bird repeatedly but can’t ID it, check the likely species here first.