FeatherDex FAQ
Answers about your photos, identification, eBird, and the beta
Table of Contents
About FeatherDex
What is FeatherDex?
An iPhone app from FeatherQuest that finds the birds in the photos you already have and organizes them into a species collection, with badges, ratings, and your life list. See the features.
Is FeatherDex a replacement for Merlin?
No. Merlin is wonderful for identifying birds, especially by sound, and we use it every time we go out. FeatherDex organizes the bird photos you’ve already taken, and species pages link to Merlin and eBird.
How is it different from eBird?
eBird is for logging checklists and sightings, and those checklists help science. FeatherDex is for enjoying your own photos. You can import your eBird life list so your Seen and Heard records are there too.
What devices does it run on?
The beta runs on iPhone. We’d like to bring FeatherDex to more devices, like desktop, but that isn’t part of the beta and there’s nothing to announce yet.
Photos and Privacy
Will FeatherDex change my original photos?
No. FeatherDex reads your photos and keeps its own records. It never modifies your originals or their metadata.
Are my photos uploaded anywhere?
Not for identification. Bird ID runs on your phone. FeatherDex does use the internet to download photos stored in iCloud, Google Photos, or Google Drive, and for maps and place search. Read the details.
Where can FeatherDex find my photos?
Apple Photos is the easiest place to start, because your dates, locations, and albums are already there. A source is a connected place FeatherDex keeps checking for new bird photos: Apple Photos, Google Photos, Google Drive, or a Files folder. Add Photos is a one-time import from Files or Apple Photos.
Do photos my friends took count toward my list?
You can keep them in your collection and credit the photographer, but only your own photos count toward your Seen and Photographed totals. Birding Is Better Together explains how.
Identification
What powers the bird ID?
FeatherDex’s on-device bird ID suggestions are powered by AVES. FeatherQuest maintains its own AVES fork to handle regional species splits, like Yellow Warbler.
How accurate are the species suggestions?
They’re suggestions, so treat them as a shortlist. Clear photos work best, and the photo’s date and location help. You always confirm or correct the species, and you can choose just the family or mark any bird Unknown.
What about photos with more than one bird?
FeatherDex numbers each bird it finds and gives each one its own suggestion, so you can confirm them one at a time. Getting Started shows how.
eBird and Your Life List
Can I bring in my eBird life list?
Yes. Download your World Life List from eBird as the First Seen and Last Seen files, then import both. You’ll review a preview before anything is saved, and imported species are marked Seen by default. Step-by-step guide.
Does FeatherDex sync with eBird?
No. The import reads your eBird export once. FeatherDex doesn’t send anything back to eBird, and it keeps species and dates rather than your checklists.
Do I need an eBird account?
No. Seen can come from your own photos or be set by hand. eBird import is optional.
The Beta
How do I join the beta?
Tap Join the iPhone Beta and leave your email. That puts you on the waitlist. When we’re ready for you, we’ll email you an invitation to install FeatherDex with Apple’s TestFlight app. It isn’t instant access.
Is the beta finished software?
No. It’s a beta, so expect rough edges. Finding them is exactly how testers help.
How do I report a bug or suggest a feature?
Use Report a problem in Settings → Support. It emails support@featherquest.com with your note and an optional diagnostic file that leaves out photos, filenames, album names, and precise locations. You see what you’re sending, and nothing is sent automatically. Privacy details.
Planned, Not in the Beta Yet
Can I back up my collection?
Not yet. iCloud backup is planned, and exporting a backup to your files and restoring from it is in the works. For now your collection lives on your phone.
Can I use my collection on more than one device?
Not yet. Managing your collection across devices is planned.
Explore FeatherDex
FeatherDex Home
The short tour: what FeatherDex is and how it works.
Features
Badges, ratings, stacks, search and filters, your life list, locations, and photo credits.
Getting Started
Connect your photos, let FeatherDex find the birds, and review each ID.
eBird Import
Bring your eBird life list in, step by step, and review it before it’s saved.
Privacy
On-device bird ID, untouched originals, and when FeatherDex uses the internet.
Help Shape FeatherDex
We’re inviting bird photographers and birders to test FeatherDex on iPhone. Explore your collection, find the rough edges, and help us make something worth using every day.
Joining puts you on the FeatherDex beta waitlist. It isn’t instant access: when we’re ready for you, we’ll email you an invitation to install the beta with TestFlight, Apple’s app for testing new iPhone apps. Sign-up uses the FeatherQuest email list, so you may also hear about new Quests and Guides. Unsubscribe anytime.
Questions or ideas? We’d love to hear them. Contact us.