Category

PROMOTE CONSERVATION

In course of the planet’s stressed ecosystems with increasing number of yearly wildfires and accelerating rainforest logging activities help in any way, as tiny as it may be, is much needed to make a difference. Sunbird Images supports individual conservationists such as local bird guides, bio-monitoring organisations as well as professional staff of conservation and wildlife protection organisations and NGOs through giving away its nature apps for free. Due to publisher-bound demands many professional Sunbird nature apps are high priced. Through Sunbird’s support an individual local guide can afford an electronic guide to train local staff or educate the next generation in species identification of their local country specific animal and plant life.  

Sunbird Apps

ALL BIRDS GUIANAS

Used by the Peace Corps in Guyana

For example, the Peace Corps in Guyana uses the Sunbird Images App All Birds Guianas for its teachers in Guyana. They teach environmental education to local people. Knowing about natural resources and appreciating the environment makes a significant contribution to protecting endangered ecosystems. 

Helm Field Guide

Birds of Northern South America

Until now, for the avifauna of the region Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana there was neither a separate single volume field guide nor an app. The App “All Birds Guiana“ is part of the series “Birds of Northern South America”. The content was derived from the renowned Bloomsbury’s Helm Guide “Birds of Northern South America“ by Robin Restall, Clemencia Rodner, and Miguel Lentino. The creation of apps from this book is a co-production between Bloomsbury Plc and Sunbird Images.  

Challenges

LOCALIZATION & CONTENT

A major challenge in the implementation of this project was the localization of the content. Here, not only the distribution of the respective species had to be considered, but also the fact that different subspecies occur in different regions. This required the work of good ornithologists to prepare the data and provide users with a tool for identification and information that is appropriate for the region in question. 

For the Peace Corps‘ teachers, it was important using a tool that works well on both smartphones, which are always carried with them, and on tablets, which are more suitable for demonstrating the content. The fact that the apps were individually designed and developed for both smartphones and tablets was especially helpful.  

The app offers some major advantages over using books. When used in the field in tropical climates, books are not only an obstructive piece of luggage due to their weight, but also do not have a very long lifespan. Also a book does not offer a search function or the possibility to zoom into the pictures. The latter is an important feature, especially when used in teaching, to draw attention to special field marks. Of particular note, however, are the bird songs and calls embedded in the app, which are perhaps the most complete collection of birdcalls in the region. 

We are very pleased to support the Peace Corps in its commitment to the environment.