Searching for Birds is a hugely impressive data exploration into which bird species are searched for the most on Google. By combining search data with citizen-science observations from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and eBird, the project reveals that visually striking or culturally iconic birds often dominate public curiosity. The analysis also highlights strong seasonal rhythms, with searches peaking during spring migration and spiking dramatically when rare sightings occur.
The visualizations are a particular highlight, including a beautiful interactive pictorial cartogram that displays the most Googled bird in each state. In this map, every state is represented by the egg of its most searched-for bird, creating a design that is both informative and visually distinctive. Hovering over a state reveals the top ten most Googled birds in that region, while click-through links allow readers to explore each species further via Cornell Lab's All About Birds.
This egg-themed cartogram shows that the Bald Eagle is “the top searched bird nationally and across 26 U.S. states.” The Northern Cardinal is the most searched species in 16 states and ranks second nationwide. Nationally, the Blue Jay and American Robin place third and fourth, respectively – yet neither emerges as the most searched species in any individual state.
You can learn more about your favorite birds by exploring the migratory journeys of over 450 American species on Audubon’s animated Bird Migration Explorer.
