Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 7, 2026

Bird Call Identifier is built so you can identify birds without handing over your life story. There are no accounts, no ads, and no selling of personal data. This policy explains, in plain language, what information the Bird Call Identifier iPhone app and this website use, why they need it, and the choices you have.

Bird Call Identifier is operated by Soufiane Benabid (benabid.me). For anything related to this policy, email contact@birdcallidentifier.com.

Information we collect in the app

Photos you submit

When you identify a bird with the camera or a photo from your library, that image is sent securely to our servers so the identification can run. We only receive photos you actively submit — the app never browses or uploads your photo library in the background.

Sound recordings you submit

When you use sound identification, the short recording you make is sent securely to our servers to match it against known bird songs and calls. The microphone is only active while you are recording, and only recordings you submit leave your device.

Location (optional)

If you grant location access, the app uses your approximate location to improve sound identification accuracy (bird activity varies by region and season), to show birds spotted near you, and to note where a sighting happened in your personal life list. Location access is optional — the app works without it — and you can change your choice at any time in iOS Settings.

A random device identifier

Instead of accounts, the app generates a random identifier on your device. It is used to keep your sightings, life list, and stats together across sessions. It is not your name, email, phone number, or Apple ID, and it cannot identify you personally.

What we do not collect

• No name, email, or account details — there are no accounts.
• No payment details — purchases are handled entirely by Apple.
• No advertising identifiers — the app contains no ads and no ad networks.
• No contacts, messages, browsing history, or background location.

How we use your information

• Identification. Photos and recordings are processed to determine which species you saw or heard.
• Your life list. Sightings (species, date, identification method, and location if you allowed it) are stored so your collection and stats persist.
• Improving results. We may review aggregate, non-personal information — such as how often identifications succeed — to improve accuracy and fix problems.

We do not sell personal information, and we do not use your photos or recordings for advertising or purposes unrelated to the service.

Device permissions

Every permission is optional and used only for the feature it unlocks. You can grant or revoke each of them at any time in iOS Settings.

• Camera — to photograph a bird for identification.
• Microphone — to record a bird song for identification.
• Photo library — to pick an existing photo to identify.
• Location — to improve identification accuracy and show nearby birds.

Subscriptions and payments

Premium subscriptions are offered and billed through Apple and your App Store account. We never see or store your payment information. Apple's handling of your payment data is described in Apple's privacy policy. You can manage or cancel a subscription at any time in your App Store account settings.

Third-party services and content

Species imagery, community observations, and reference information shown in the app come from public biodiversity platforms and open data sources (such as iNaturalist and eBird). We do not share your personal information with these platforms. The app does not use third-party advertising or cross-app tracking SDKs.

This website

The website does not require an account and does not ask for personal information. Like most websites, our hosting infrastructure may automatically record basic technical information such as your IP address, browser type, and the pages you visit. This information is used only to operate, protect, and improve the website. The website does not use advertising or tracking cookies.

Data retention and deletion

Submitted photos and recordings are kept only as long as needed to provide and improve the identification service. Your sightings and life list are kept so the app keeps working for you — you can delete individual sightings in the app at any time. If you would like everything associated with your device identifier removed from our servers, email us and we will delete it.

Security

All communication between the app and our servers uses encrypted connections (HTTPS). Your device identifier is stored in the secure iOS Keychain. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but the app is designed to collect as little as possible in the first place — the best-protected data is data that was never collected.

Children

Bird Call Identifier is suitable for general audiences and is not directed at children under 13. Because the app requires no account and collects no contact details, it does not build a profile of any user. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us, contact us and we will delete it.

Your rights and choices

• Deny or revoke any permission in iOS Settings without losing the rest of the app.
• Delete sightings from your collection inside the app.
• Request deletion of all data tied to your device identifier by emailing us.
• Deleting the app removes its on-device data and caches from your device.

Depending on where you live (for example the EU/EEA, the UK, or California), you may have additional statutory rights such as access, correction, portability, and deletion. We honor reasonable requests regardless of where you live — email contact@birdcallidentifier.com.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we will update this page and the date at the top. Continued use of the website or app after a change means you accept the updated policy.

Contact

Questions, concerns, or requests about your privacy: contact@birdcallidentifier.com. More about the developer at benabid.me.