Last updated: August 29, 2026
Birder Diary ("we", "our", or "the app") is a bird-watching diary app for iOS. We follow local-first and data-minimization principles: your diary library is stored on your device by default and is not uploaded to our servers for cloud backup or synchronization. We process only the information needed when you choose to use features such as sign-in, bird identification, subscriptions, or other online features.
Birder Diary uses Sign in with Apple to verify your sign-in status. We never ask for your Apple account password, and we do not actively request your name, public email address, or other additional account details. We use only the credentials needed to maintain a secure session and prioritize internal identifiers that do not directly display your identity.
Your selected photos, videos, and available capture time and location information are used to organize and display your birding records. Media copies, thumbnails, bird records, notes, username, and avatar are stored on your device by default. We do not upload your complete diary library to our servers for cloud backup or synchronization.
Only when you start an identification does the app submit the image needed for that request. For a video, it may submit a representative frame from the selected video. The recognition mode and a general region may also be submitted to improve identification accuracy. We do not access or upload your entire photo library or submit diary content unrelated to that identification.
The submitted image is used only to complete the identification you requested and may be temporarily stored by us and contracted technical service providers. It is automatically deleted no later than three days after upload. We retain necessary identification-operational records to apply usage limits, troubleshoot problems, prevent abuse, and maintain service reliability, but do not retain your complete on-device diary library.
The app can use location information in selected media and lets you choose or search for a place, or obtain a one-time current location after you grant permission, to organize birding records. Related coordinates and place names are stored on your device. When you start an identification, the app may submit a general region to improve identification accuracy. You may use the app without granting location access or using region-assisted identification.
If you view, purchase, restore, or manage a subscription, Apple processes the payment information. We do not receive your payment-card number or Apple account password. To verify purchases, restore entitlements, handle refunds or revocations, resolve account-ownership conflicts, and provide customer support, we process the necessary product identifier, transaction identifier, original transaction identifier, purchase and expiration dates, renewal status, refund or revocation status, grace-period status, and an internal identifier that links the purchase to your Birder Diary account.
We also record limited subscription-flow events, such as the app context from which you opened the subscription screen, the billing period you selected, and whether a purchase or restoration succeeded, was cancelled, remained pending, or failed, together with an error category. These events are linked to an internal account identifier and are used only to check that subscriptions work, troubleshoot problems, and improve the purchase experience. They are not used for advertising, cross-app tracking, or marketing profiles.
Language and profile settings are stored only on your device. Recognition mode and preferred birding region are saved by the app on your device and used as feature choices only when you start an identification. To determine account status and apply recognition allowances, the online service processes only the necessary session, usage, and entitlement status.
We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect information and minimize the use of directly identifying details.
Sign-in, purchases, maps, identification, and online content rely on operating-system platforms and contracted services for cloud infrastructure, content delivery, and identification processing. We transfer information to these services only to the extent necessary to provide the relevant feature and require them to process it under agreed purposes, retention limits, and security measures. We do not sell or rent your personal information or provide it to third parties for advertising or marketing profiles.
Depending on your location and service availability, some online processing may occur outside your country or region. We take contractual, technical, and organizational safeguards required by applicable law and provide additional notice or obtain consent where required.
Birder Diary does not include advertising SDKs, cross-app tracking tools, or third-party product analytics SDKs. The limited subscription-flow events we process ourselves and necessary service information are used only for functionality, entitlement verification, troubleshooting, usage controls, security, and reliability.
You can choose not to select media, grant location access, use region-assisted identification, or purchase a subscription. You can also edit or delete local diary content, manage subscriptions, sign out, or stop using the app. Some choices may make the related feature unavailable.
Uninstalling the app deletes the local diary and app data on that device, but the online account and related service records are not automatically deleted when the app is uninstalled. To request access to, correction, a copy of, or deletion of your online account and associated information, or to withdraw consent where applicable, contact us at the email address below. We verify and process requests within the period required by applicable law. Transaction, security, or audit records that must be retained by law may remain for the required period.
Birder Diary is not directed at children under 14 in mainland China or below the minimum age required by applicable law elsewhere. We do not knowingly collect children's personal information in violation of applicable law.
We may update this policy as the app and service change. The revised policy will be posted on this page with a new last-updated date. Where required, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent.
If you have questions about this privacy policy, contact us at feedback@birderdiary.com.