About Sparkbird
A bird watching app by and for bird enthusiasts
Our goal is to create a birding community that brings people together with nature. Bird watching groups are a great way to make new friends — focusing on the sights and sounds of nature instead of one another eliminates social anxiety and pressure to perform.
Features Inspired by You, for You
Share Pictures
Share and compare photos with other birders in the community.
Community Connection
Find people and groups near you to go birding with.
AI Bird Identification
Use your phone to ID birds from pictures and video.
Life List
Track every bird you see and watch your list grow over time.
Meet the Team
William Battel
Founder & CEO
Will began Sparkbird in 2018 after being inspired to apply his computer science education to birdwatching. He envisioned an app that could automatically identify and record the birds visiting his birdfeeder, and watched it evolve into a community platform.
Outside of Sparkbird, Will is a software engineer specializing in machine learning and AI. He graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering with a B.S. in Computer Science.
Spark bird: American Goldfinch
Nicole Dufresne
Head of Growth
Nicole joined the team in 2025, drawn by how the health benefits of connecting with nature address the loneliness epidemic. She believes modern lifestyles degrade our health and relationships, and that nature is the best remedy.
She holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Economics from Assumption College, and brings a background in sales and marketing to Sparkbird.
Spark bird: American CrowFind Your Spark Bird
Join a community of birders who are reconnecting with nature — and each other.
Get the App