Service Project Highlight: BirdList PA
Looking for a fun, interactive way to get outside and explore Pennsylvania’s birdlife? Thanks to PA Master Naturalist volunteer Michael Geise, there’s now an app for that.
Michael created BirdList PA, a birding scavenger hunt app designed to make discovering birds more engaging for people of all experience levels. Whether you’re a seasoned birder or just getting started, the app turns time outdoors into a challenge, encouraging users to find and identify bird species across Pennsylvania.
Birding is already one of the most accessible ways to connect with nature in the state, with hundreds of species found across forests, fields, and backyards. By adding a scavenger hunt element, Michael’s app helps make that experience even more approachable and fun especially for families, students, and new naturalists.
Projects like this also play an important role in conservation. Efforts like the Pennsylvania Bird Atlas rely on everyday observations from volunteers to better understand bird populations and guide conservation decisions. Tools that get more people outside looking for birds help build that awareness and connection.
Michael’s project is a great example of how PA Master Naturalists use their skills and passions to create meaningful resources for their communities. By combining technology, education, and a love of wildlife, Bird List PA is inspiring more people to step outside, slow down, and notice the birds around them.
Whether you’re checking off your first species or your hundredth, every observation is a chance to learn and to contribute to a better understanding of Pennsylvania’s natural world.
