Best iPad Apps

The Great Outdoors

Best App for Birdwatching

iBird Pro HD

$29.99 Version: 1.2 | Mitch Waite Group

For serious birdwatchers, a field guide is essential. This app threatens the printed variation of that species with extinction. Cataloging close to 1,000 North American fliers, this multimedia reference works for browsing and in-the-field birding alike. Showcase features include fine-grained searching, crystal clear maps (and writing), and playable chirps. The five hours worth of audio—bird songs and calls—is a showstopper. Not only do these chirpings help make sense of what used to be rendered phonetically, but you can even use these audibles to lure feathered friends a bit closer for some photo fun.

PROFILE PAGES: Each bird’s Overview delivers an introduction, a habitat map, key stats, and beautiful illustrations (more than 1,300 throughout the app). Pop-up glossary definitions in the text offer quick refreshers on the difference between, say, underparts and upperparts.

SPEAK, BIRD: Tap the upper-right speaker icon to hear recordings (pulled from Cornell’s famous and enormous collection). Many of these pop-up audio panels have detailed commentary and even alternate variations to help you distinguish, say, an in-flight call from one uttered during a dispute.

EAGLE EYES: The Search screen offers ...