Environment Public Authority: Major advancement in bird monitoring thanks to technology

The Kuwait Society for the Protection of the Environment has confirmed that “birdwatching has witnessed significant development in recent years, thanks to modern technologies and smart applications that have facilitated bird identification and documentation of sightings, making the hobby more widespread across different age groups, as observers can now carry advanced scientific tools on their smartphones to assist them in the field.”

Mohammed Shah, head of the bird monitoring and protection team at the society, emphasized “the importance of documenting sightings on global scientific platforms, as this plays a key role in enhancing knowledge about birds and their habitats. The accumulation of documented sightings over the years provides valuable data that researchers and specialists can use to study changes in bird populations, their distribution, and migration seasons. Ultimately, applications such as eBird and Merlin are no longer just aids for identifying bird names; they have become an integral part of the modern birdwatching experience.”

For his part, Talal Al-Muwaisri, a member of the bird monitoring and protection team at the Environment Society, said, “The team relies on the eBird application as the primary platform for documenting bird sightings, with data recorded in the field, including location, date, time, number of birds, and species observed. The Merlin Bird ID application is also used as a crucial global support tool for observers, particularly beginners.”