Your Privacy, Simply Explained
We believe privacy policies should be clear, honest, and even a little bit delightful.
Based on data minimization, transparency, and user control
Settings
Stored on your device
Diagnostics
Crash reports, no names
Personal Data
No name, email or history
The Full Picture
A transparent look at what we do and don't collect. Hover over any item for more details.
collected about you
What We Collect
Kept in your browser, not uploaded
Volume level and mute preferences
Errors and stack traces, to fix bugs
Which features are used, linked to a random install ID
For debugging compatibility issues
What We DON'T Collect
Name, email, address - never collected
We have no idea what sites you visit
The extension sets none
Only a random ID created at install
Searches go straight to your search engine
The extension never asks for it
No social integrations whatsoever
Where Your Data Flows
An interactive look at how BirdTab handles your information. Click on any node to learn more.
Your Device
Settings and viewing history stored locally in browser storage
BirdTab Media
Bird list, photographs and recordings
eBird
Range maps from the Cornell Lab
Sentry
Error tracking
PostHog
Usage analytics
The Details
For those who want the full story. Click any section to expand.
The following data is stored locally on your device using your browser's storage API:
- Audio settings - Volume, mute, auto-play and quiet hours
- Clock and timer settings - Display format and your last timer
- Quick access settings - Search engine, shortcuts, Google Apps and top sites
- Display settings - Low distraction mode
- Viewing history - The most recent 200 birds you have seen
- Cached bird data - The bird list, photographs and recordings, for offline use
Only whether you have finished setup and the feature tour is kept in your browser's sync storage, so it follows you between browsers where you are signed in.
To improve BirdTab and fix bugs, we collect diagnostic data using Sentry.io. In Firefox, only sent if you allow technical and interaction data, which Firefox asks about when you install BirdTab. You can change it later in Firefox's add-on settings.
What we collect:
- Error reports (error messages and stack traces, with query strings removed from URLs)
- A small sample of performance timings
- Extension version and browser information
- A random installation ID and a few settings (auto-play, quiet hours, quick access, region)
What we DO NOT collect:
- Your name, email address or postal address
- Browsing history or websites you visit
- Content you view outside of BirdTab
How it's used:
Diagnostic data helps us identify and fix bugs, improve extension performance, understand which features have issues, and prioritize development work.
To understand how people use BirdTab, we collect usage analytics using PostHog.
What we collect:
- Feature usage (for example quiz, share, audio playback, timer, settings)
- Your settings (auto-play, quiet hours, clock style) and interface language
- The bird shown when a new tab opens
- Quiz completion (score and duration)
- Browser, operating system, screen size and days since install
Technical details:
- A random installation ID, created when you install BirdTab and not linked to your name or email
- No cookies; unsent events wait in the extension's local storage
- Turned off if your browser sends Do Not Track
- In Firefox, only sent if you allow technical and interaction data (asked at install, changeable in Firefox's add-on settings)
- Stored in PostHog's EU data centers (Frankfurt, Germany)
The extension connects to the following services:
| Service | Purpose | Data Sent |
|---|---|---|
| media.birdtab.app | Bird list, photographs and recordings | Nothing beyond the request itself |
| ebird.org | Range map in the bird information panel | Bird species code |
| www.google.com (favicons) | Icons for top sites and shortcuts | Address of each site shown |
| sentry.io | Error tracking and diagnostics | Error reports, random install ID |
| posthog.com | Usage analytics | Usage events, random install ID |
| birdtab.app | Uninstall page (opens when you remove BirdTab) | Random install ID; feedback if you write some |
When you remove BirdTab, your browser opens a page on birdtab.app that carries your random installation ID. The page records that BirdTab was removed and asks, optionally, why. If you write feedback, it is sent to us with that ID.
Searches you type go straight to your browser's default search engine, or to Google, DuckDuckGo, ChatGPT or Perplexity if you choose one in settings. Quiz results can be saved or copied as an image; nothing is posted anywhere unless you do it yourself.
birdtab.app has no advertising trackers. The tools (such as the bird checklist) send a few usage events to PostHog in the EU: which tool was used, and when a list is created, a file is downloaded or a link is shared. PostHog is only loaded when one of those happens; it sets no cookies, stores nothing on your device, and stays off if your browser sends Do Not Track or Global Privacy Control. Lists you make in the tools stay on your device. Some pages also load content from other services:
- YouTube: the demo video, loaded only when you press play
- CARTO: map tiles on the migration map
- Open-Meteo and OpenStreetMap Nominatim: the feeder scheduler and Birds Near Me send the location you choose, or your device location if you allow it, to get the local weather or your state or country. Your location is not sent to BirdTab
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology and media.birdtab.app: bird photos in the tools and species pages
Permissions Explained
BirdTab requests only the permissions it needs. Click any permission to learn exactly what it does.
Your Browser
Third-Party Services
We carefully select partners who share our commitment to privacy. Here's exactly what each service does.
Sentry.io
Error Tracking
Helps us identify and fix bugs by collecting crash reports.
PostHog
Usage Analytics
Helps us understand which features are valuable so we can improve BirdTab.
eBird
Range Maps
Shows where a species lives when you open its information panel.
Google Favicons
Site Icons
Loads the small icon for each top site or shortcut you choose to show.
Your Rights
You're in control. Here's what you can do with your data.
Opt Out Anytime
Turn on Do Not Track to stop usage analytics, or disable BirdTab to stop all data collection.
Clear Local Data
Remove all stored settings by uninstalling the extension from your browser.
Request Information
Contact us to learn what data we have. It is minimal and tied only to a random install ID.
Contact Us→Data Portability
Your settings are stored in your browser, where you can inspect them.
Children's Privacy
BirdTab is suitable for all ages and does not knowingly collect data from children under 13. The extension does not require any personal information to function.
Questions? We're Here
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or BirdTab's data practices, we'd love to hear from you.
We'll notify you of significant changes through extension update notes.