# iBird Ultimate Guide to Birds

> North America, UK Hawaii Palau

Canonical page: [https://chrome-stats.com/d/id872771050](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id872771050)

## Overview

- **ID:** `id872771050`
- **Platform:** Apple
- **Type:** Apple app
- **Status:** Available
- **Publisher:** Mitch Waite Group
- **Category:** Reference
- **Rating:** 4.50 / 5 (568 ratings)
- **Version:** 13.3
- **Last updated:** 2023-10-10
- **First published:** 2014-05-15
- **Size:** 1.75 GB
- **Data as of:** 2026-09-22
- **Store listing:** [Apple App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ibird-ultimate-guide-to-birds/id872771050)
- **Website:** [https://ibird.com](https://ibird.com/)
- **Privacy policy:** [https://ibird.com/privacy-policy/](https://ibird.com/privacy-policy/)

## Description

iBird Ultimate Guide to Birds is the definitive, fixed-price field guide for iPhone users. It now includes the 2019-2020 AOU standard and offers databases for North America, the United Kingdom & Ireland, Hawaii, and Palau, with photos and field-marked illustrations for every species. An offline-capable, comprehensive birding resource, it combines iBird Pro's detailed species entries with composite illustrations showing key identification markings.

The app adds AI-powered Photo Sleuth for identifying birds from any photo, plus Percevia, a parametric search engine with 35+ characteristics to locate birds by color, location, habitat, bill shape, song type, and more. Other features include Birds Around Me, Time-of-Day, and Owls of Mexico, with no internet required in the field and support for iOS 16 and Silicon-based Macs. Version 13.2 brings 38 new illustrations and continued expansion of regional databases.

## Rankings

- #70,212 — Overall
- #43 — merlin
- #59 — wait

## Review summary

Users praise iBird Ultimate as a rich, offline-capable field guide with extensive bird data and vocalizations, strong search features, and field-use value. However, recurring concerns center on a forced subscription model, data loss after updates, removal of purchased features, reliability bugs, and upsells. These issues overshadow some positives for many long-time users.

### Pros

- Excellent tool for identifying birds and their calls.
- Rich, comprehensive bird data (photos, vocalizations, range maps, ecology, behavior, and conservation) in one app.
- Offline access: core features work without cell or Wi‑Fi.
- Powerful search and filtering (location, attributes, time of year) with helpful features like 'birds near me'.
- Valued as a replacement for bulky field guides and considered worth the price by many users.

### Cons

- Forced subscription model with no grandfathering, leading to double payments for long-time users.
- Data loss after updates (lists, favorites, life lists, notes) with limited recovery options and reportedly poor support.
- Removal of paid features after updates (e.g., Photo Sleuth) or other feature downgrades tied to the subscription move.
- Reliability bugs and issues (notes missing, login problems, splash screen glitches, search failures).
- In-app ads and upsells for add-ons in a premium app, plus fragmentation across multiple apps; journaling not built in.

## Similar extensions and apps

- [iBird Pro Guide to Birds](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id308018823) — 4.30 / 5
- [iBird Hawaii & Palau Guide](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id943689969) — 4.70 / 5
- [iKnow Birds PRO](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id947434163) — 4.00 / 5
- [iKnow Birds LITE](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id642788372) — 4.40 / 5
- [iBird UK & Ireland Lite](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id441884227) — 1.00 / 5
- [iBird UK Pro Guide to Birds](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id424729739) — 4.50 / 5
- [All Birds UK - the Photo Guide](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id811376863) — 3.00 / 5
- [iBird Yard+ Guide to Birds](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id297644123) — 4.60 / 5
- [Bird Identifier! AI Scanner](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id6590630197)
- [Identify Bird](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id6736381432)
- [Bird Identifier & Guide](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id6503698729) — 5.00 / 5
- [Sibley Birds 2nd Edition](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id1236011411) — 4.90 / 5

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Source: [Chrome-Stats](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id872771050)