Rating Images for eBird

You can rate your own media when you add it to your eBird checklist, as well as any photo, audio recording, or video that you find in the Macaulay Library. We use a 5-star rating system, with 5 stars being the highest quality.


For all three media types, keep in mind that the rating should be based on the technical quality, not the rarity of the bird. Biological interest should not play a role in the star rating. Please rate media honestly; attempts to manipulate the rating system or use multiple personal accounts to rate media is not allowed.


Rate the quality of the image, not the quality of the bird or the observation. A great photo of a common, drab bird should still be 5 stars and a poor photo of a very rare or hard-to-photograph bird could still be only 1 or 2 stars.

Considerations for star ratings for images:

Descriptions of star ratings for images:



SAMPLE RATINGS

Low Rated Images in the 1 to 2 star range.

Rating 1 - Smallish size in frame, partially behind a branch and horribly, terribly out-of-focus..

Rating 1 - Due to Lack of sharp focus, poor exposure, size of bird in the image and partial blocking of bird.

Rating 1 - Eventhough the bird is fairly sharp in focus, it is far too small overall in the frame and part of the tail is hidden.

Rating 2 - Due to lack of sharp focus, extreme contrast, poor exposure and lack of feather detail. Saved from a 1-star rating due to the large size of the bird in the frame.

Mid Rated Images in the 3 to 4 star range.

Rating 3 - Due to lack of sharp focus, hidden major features, medium size in the frame..

Rating 3 - Medium size in the frame, main identifying features in view, but features are partially obscured and the bird is terribly out of focus.

Rating 4 - Medium size in the frame, main identifying features partially in view, but some main features are not clearly visible

Rating 4 - Medium/small size in the frame, main identifying features partially in view, but some main features are not clearly visible with partial blocking.. 

Rating 4 - Large size in the frame, main identifying features partially in view, but some main features are not clearly visible with partial blocking.. 

High Rated Images in the 5 star range.

Rating 5 - The bird is prominant in the frame and is sharply in focus with no body features hidden... 

Rating 5 - The bird is prominant in the frame and is sharply in focus with no body features hidden...