Love plants, trees, birds, bees, butterflies and all things green, but don’t know where to begin. This easy guide will help you with apps, websites, e-courses, mostly for free.

When I began birding seriously in 2022, I wondered how to start my journey. I can identify concrete buildings but not plants and butterflies or bees and birds. So, I looked up resources on Facebook, groups, forums and then websites. Eventually, I discovered nature apps. Here’s the list of resources for self-taught nature lovers who wish to become nature educators or citizen scientists or simply enjoy their observations and be a part of nature:

Biodiversity

iNaturalist
I find this an extremely useful resource, as it’s a one-stop place for all things in the environment around you. It helps identify the plants, animals, birds, insects and more while generating data for science and conservation. There is an app and a website.

iNaturalist.org began as the Master’s final project of Ken-ichi Ueda, Nate Agrin, and Jessica Kline at UC Berkeley’s School of Information in 2008. Nate and Ken-ichi continued working on the site after graduation, with some additional help from Sean McGregor. Ken-ichi began collaborating with Scott Loarie in 2011, when they organized as iNaturalist, LLC and began expanding the site through numerous collaborations.

In 2014 iNaturalist became an initiative of the California Academy of Sciences and a joint initiative with National Geographic Society in 2017. In 2023, iNaturalist became an independent non-profit organization.

Internationally, iNaturalist partners with several different organizations through the iNaturalist Network to provide a localized experience along with greater reach and impact.

iNaturalist’s mission is to connect people to nature and advance biodiversity science and conservation. It is an online social network of people sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature.

India Biodiversity Portal
As the name says, this is all about India and the plants and animals on the sub-continent. The aim is to aggregate data through public participation and provide open and free access to biodiversity information.  It also has an app and a WhatsApp channel.

Birds

Merlin Bird ID
This free app is available on Google Play. It is developed by bird experts at Cornell Merlin. This app is global—you look up any bird at any location anywhere in the world. It is powered by Visipedia, Merlin Sound ID and Photo ID, which uses deep learning to identify birds in photos and sounds. You just add your picture or birdsong or even with size, shape and colour and it will give you suggestions. Then, you can upload your sightings, as it is linked to eBird, which has a global database of more than 1 billion bird observations.

eBird
This is an app as well as a website. It has free basic resources and for detailed things, you need to subscribe. It has research and holds webinars. It is good for all levels.

Nest Watch
Before you embark on this quest, please remember that there is a nest watch code of conduct. And you, as a nature lover, must be a protector. Nests are home where future species come to life. You can download the Nest Watch app from Google Play or Apple App store.

e-Courses on Ornithology

There is an annual 12-week course by NPTEL, Basics of Ornithology, and you have the option of taking an exam for a digital certificate. The exam fee is INR 1000.

Early bird has launched a 3-hour basic introduction course, The Wonder of Birds. It is free and self-paced. Early Bird also has articles and resources.

You would like to read this, Birds in Focus: A Walk at Doddanekundi Lake.

WWF-India also has a self-paced course, ABC of Birdwatching, in which you can enroll for free. It also has an paid annual course, Barefoot Birder, where experts come for classroom sessions and there are field visits as well. WWF also organises introductory walks, events and talks which are mostly free. You can follow their Instagram account or on Linkedin to keep track.

Here is an interesting personal essay, I guess I’m a birder now by Ed Yong, on resources and how he became a birder. He is the author of New York Times Bestseller, ‘An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us’.

Plants

PlantNet
This is an where you can upload your photographs and use deep learning to know about the plant. With the Pl@ntNet app, you will be able to identify one plant from a picture, and be part of a citizen science project on plant biodiversity.  

Seasonwatch
This is an India-centric app/website that studies the changing seasons by monitoring the annual cycles of flowering, fruiting and leaf-flush of 130+ common trees. All you need to do is register and add a tree from your neighbourhood to observe every week. Then upload your findings on the website. This has many free downloadable resources on the website.

Tools to be a Nature Observer/Citizen Scientist

Most observations can be made on the phone, so you need a good phone with a good camera. You can record sounds, take photographs, make videos.

Birds’ identification is better with binoculars. A pocket-friendly one is Nikon Aculon A211 8×42 Binocular (Black). It is said that most guides on jungle safaris use this.

If you are really serious, then you can also carry a spotting scope with you. You can check out Celestron Ultima 65 Angled Spotting Scope.  

If you are planning to buy a camera, then experts suggest going for mirrorless ones and a good 500 mm lens for birding.

Another useful tool is the Universal Cell Phone Smartphone, Quick Photography Adapter, Mount Connector for Telescope, Binoculars, Monocular, Spotting Scope, Microscope. You can check Lucario Telescope Holder here.

You can have all the resources, but what makes you ‘nature wise’ is practice.

Do share your thoughts and recommendations with us. We do hope to keep adding to this list.

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