Acceptable Use Policy¶
Purpose¶
BirdNET is an open scientific project developed to support biodiversity research, wildlife conservation, environmental education, and citizen science.
We encourage broad adoption of BirdNET for lawful and responsible purposes that contribute to the understanding and protection of nature.
Responsible Use¶
Users should:
- Comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
- Respect privacy and local recording regulations.
- Use BirdNET predictions responsibly, recognizing that model outputs are probabilistic and may contain false positives or false negatives.
- Verify observations where appropriate before making scientific, conservation, or management decisions.
- Consider the potential ecological impact of publishing sensitive species locations.
Unacceptable Uses¶
BirdNET should not be used to facilitate activities that harm wildlife, ecosystems, or people.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Assisting or facilitating poaching or the illegal capture, trade, harassment, or exploitation of wildlife.
- Intentionally locating endangered or sensitive species for harmful purposes.
- Supporting activities that violate conservation laws or protected-area regulations.
- Using BirdNET as part of weapons systems, military targeting, or military surveillance intended to cause harm.
- Knowingly using BirdNET in ways that violate applicable laws or regulations.
Scientific Integrity¶
Users are encouraged to:
- Cite BirdNET in scientific publications.
- Report suspected model errors or biases.
- Share improvements and contribute back to the project whenever possible.
- Clearly distinguish model predictions from verified biological observations.
Branding¶
Forks, derivative applications, or redistributed versions should not use the name "BirdNET", "BirdNET Live", associated package names, or official project branding in a manner that could reasonably imply endorsement by the original project or its maintainers.
Please choose a distinct name and branding for derivative applications unless explicit written permission has been granted.
Feedback¶
We welcome reports of misuse, security concerns, or ethical issues.
Contact: