We require geolocation data for all bird photo submissions to maintain accuracy and to power several key features of the platform.
Many bird species look nearly identical, and location is often the only reliable way to tell them apart. Species have specific geographic ranges, so knowing where a photo was taken helps our reviewers make the correct call. Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs, for example, are visually indistinguishable but have different ranges. Without location data, overlapping territories make it impossible to be certain.
We display all your observations on an interactive map. Without geolocation data, we can't show where you encountered each species, so this feature simply won't work for untagged submissions.
We'll notify you when other users spot interesting birds near your location, helping you find new species to observe. This feature relies on geolocation data from all submissions.
Most smartphones automatically embed GPS coordinates in photos. Simply enable location services for your camera app and your photos will include this data automatically.
When a submission comes in, it is first checked automatically (see "How do we use AI?" below). If the confidence level is high enough, it will be approved without human intervention. If confidence is lower, it gets queued for review by our team of birders.
We use AI in several places across the platform.
The Mossie app doesn't currently support adding location data manually, though we're working on it. In the meantime, the best workaround is to:
It's an extra step, but it means your submissions will have full location data.