Uploading Checklists to eBird
This guide walks you through the complete process of uploading your BirdTalk checklists to eBird, including both immediate uploads and managing saved checklists for later upload.
If you're looking for upload instructions that BirdTalk displays while you are actually doing the upload, those are at membot.com/btupload.html.
Upload Options
Option 1: Upload Immediately
When you finish a checklist, you can upload it right away. The process is straightforward:
- Select your checklist by tapping the header or saying
Select checklist - Tap the upload button (up arrow pointing to cloud)
- Follow the prompts to complete the upload (see "Upload Process" below)
Option 2: Save for Later Upload
Sometimes you might want to save checklists to upload them later. This is useful when you want to:
- Review your observations more carefully before uploading
- Wait for a better internet connection
- Upload multiple checklists at once
To save a checklist for later upload:
- Select your checklist by saying
Select checklistor tapping the checklist header - Say
Upload later
You can mark multiple checklists for later upload, which is particularly useful when you're doing several short counts in one area.
Important: BirdTalk saves all your checklists locally on your device, even without internet connectivity. You can create and complete multiple checklists before uploading any of them. When you're ready, you can upload all your saved checklists at once when you have internet access.
Upload Process
When you're ready to upload your saved checklists, BirdTalk provides clear guidance through each step.
Begin by tapping the upload button (up arrow pointing at a cloud).
This will launch your phone's web browser, displaying the Upload Help page. On that page, tap on the link under Step 2 labeled "eBird's File Import web page"
This will take you to eBird's file import page:
Once there, it's helpful if you use a pinch-to-zoom gesture, spreading two fingers to magnify the page and make the form easier to use:
Tap "Choose File", which will open a popup menu. Choose the bottom choice on the popup, labeled "Choose File".
This will open a screen where you will see a file labeled "BirdTalk update" in the upper lefthand corner. Tap that file to select it.
Once you've selected your file, you'll return to the upload form. Select "eBird Record Format (Extended)" for the format, then tap the "Import File" button to begin the upload process.
During the upload process, the eBird site will show you a status page. It will say "You are free to browse elsewhere," but you should ignore that. Just wait for the processing to finish.
Upon successful upload, you'll see a confirmation screen:
Warning: On this confirmation screen, do NOT click the "Delete import" link unless you want to completely remove your checklist from eBird. Despite what the name suggests, this link doesn't just clean up the listing on this page — it permanently deletes your uploaded checklist from eBird's database. Simply proceed to the next step by clicking "Done" in the upper left corner.
Click "Done" in the upper lefthand corner, which will bring you back to BirdTalk. It will ask you whether the upload succeeded. Tap "Yes" to indicate success, "No" if the upload did not complete successfully. (In the case of an unsuccessful upload you can try again later, perhaps when you have better connectivity.)
After successful upload, BirdTalk marks the checklists as uploaded.
When a checklist has been successfully uploaded, you can select the checklist location header and say Delete Checklist to delete the checklist from BirdTalk. However, if you're new to BirdTalk, it's wise to first check in your eBird account to see that the uploaded checklist is really there, before deleting it in BirdTalk.
There's nothing wrong with keeping your most recently uploaded checklists in BirdTalk for a few days until you're completely sure the checklist made it into eBird. However, you will want to remove old checklists eventually as BirdTalk slows down if it is holding on to more than 20 or so checklists.
Note: If you need to re-upload a checklist that was already marked as successfully uploaded (for example, if there was an error during upload), you can select the checklist and say Unfreeze to mark it as not uploaded. See the Command Reference for details.
Tips for Successful Uploads
A few key points to ensure smooth uploads:
- Ensure you have a stable internet connection
- Review your checklists before uploading
- You can save time by uploading multiple checklists at once
Troubleshooting
If you encounter issues during upload:
- Check your internet connection
- Make sure all marked observations are unmarked (no red text)
- Try uploading one checklist at a time if uploading multiple lists fails
Next: Command Reference for a comprehensive list of verbal commands