The takeaway: Cornell’s eBird Taxonomy is a prominent bird classification system. It was recently updated–and some of the changes may be pertinent to your birding journey.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird Taxonomy–a prominent bird classification system–was recently updated.

The taxonomy is a classification and naming system for animals that delves into species, groups, and relationships. The Cornell eBird Taxonomy is generally updated annually. It standardizes the way we talk about birds, and if you have a smart bird feeder like the FeatherSnap, it will mean that everyone is on the same page when identifying and learning about avian life.

Why Bird Taxonomy Is Important

Taxonomies make it possible for people around the world to ensure they are talking about, studying, and looking at the same species.

  • It reflects the latest science about how birds are related–something that actually changes frequently as we learn more about birds, their songs, DNA, and migrations.

  • It keeps global data consistent–eBird is a worldwide system, and a unified taxonomy means a “common gull” in North America is a “common gull” in Southeast Asia. This helps for research and conservation, not to mention birdwatching.

  • It helps conservation efforts: Up-to-date taxonomy helps understand when a species is rare or endangered.

  • It keeps your FeatherSnap app accurate: Updates to the eBird list are analyzed by FeatherSnap’s own ornithologist, who regularly updates the FeatherSnap bird ID app to incorporate changes to bird naming and classifications.

2025 Updates to eBird Taxonomy

Here are the main changes to be aware of from this most recent taxonomy update:

  • More species were recognized: There are three newly recognized species, one of which is new to science. Another 141 species were gained by splitting existing species, and 16 species were lost through lumping. This brings the global total to 11,145 species. Note: Splitting occurs when scientists find enough genetic, behavioral, or geographic distinctions to differentiate a “new” species. “Lumping” means that what used to be considered separate species were merged when previously understood differences were deemed insufficient to label a distinct species.

  • Better global alignment of checklists: eBird works to align its taxonomy with global bird lists. Now, if you compare your local birds to bird lists in other parts of the world, there should be fewer mismatches, making it easier to share, compare, and contribute to citizen science.

Bird-specific details (and keep in mind these probably won’t show at your Wi-Fi bird feeder):

  • Barn owl was split into regional species

  • Common gull now has three species based on continent

  • Gray jays are now Canada jays

  • Some island doves and small warblers were combined where genetic evidence showed no clear separation.

How Taxonomy Updates Impact Your FeatherSnap’s Bird List

FeatherSnap smart bird feeders and smart hummingbird feeders have a premium app upgrade that includes AI-powered bird identification tools. FeatherSnap’s bird list is regularly updated by our ornithologist, who combs through studies and announcements like those from eBird to find what taxonomy changes are likely to impact what you see at your bird feeder (and would not include changes for species unlikely to be seen at your feeder, such as larger birds or birds whose range is too far away). Updates to the FeatherSnap bird ID tool are made regularly.

Taxonomy updates however are just one way that updates are made to FeatherSnap’s bird ID tool. The AI program that identifies birds was created using prompts from FeatherSnap’s staff ornithologist, and when FeatherSnap’s customer service team fields bird ID questions from customers, these occasionally result in research that also changes to bird IDs.

Are you new to birding? Check out our new birder guide here. Wondering what sorts of birds you are most likely to see at your feeder? We compiled a list of common backyard birds here.

Ready for a smart bird feeder or smart hummingbird feeder of your own? FeatherSnap feeders bring the beauty of birds to your smartphone, letting you observe birds at your feeder no matter where you are. Learn more here.

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