BirdChase

Legal

Privacy Policy

How BirdChase handles your account, your catches and your photos.

Last updated: November 6, 2026

This policy explains what information BirdChase collects when you use our app and website, why we collect it, and the choices you have.

The short version

  • We collect only what the game needs: your email and password to sign in, your catches and photos, your game progress, and your location if you allow it.
  • Your photos are private. No other player can see them unless you share one yourself.
  • Most birds are identified right on your phone. A photo goes to Google's Gemini AI only when the phone isn't sure and Deep analysis is on, or when you tap "Not sure? Ask the AI". Only the photo is sent: never your name, email or location.
  • No ads, no analytics, no tracking. We don't sell your data.
  • You can delete your account and everything in it at any time, in the app or by email.
  • Questions? Email support@birdchase.app.

In this policy

Who we are

BirdChase makes the BirdChase app (listed as "BirdChase: Bird ID Game") and runs the website birdchase.app. In this policy, "BirdChase", "we", "us" and "our" mean the team that makes and runs them. "You" means anyone who uses the app or the website.

BirdChase is the party responsible for your personal information under this policy. You can reach us at support@birdchase.app.

This policy covers the BirdChase app for Android (now in beta testing) and the birdchase.app website.

What we collect and why

Your account

When you sign up, we collect your email address and a password. Your password is stored hashed by our sign-in provider. That means it's scrambled so that nobody can read it, including us. You can also add a username, but it's optional.

We use these to create your account, sign you in, keep your collection safe so it's there on any phone, and send account emails, like the code you need to reset a forgotten password.

Your catches

Each time you catch a bird, we save:

  • which species it was and when you caught it;
  • how it was identified (by the app on your phone, by the AI check, or picked by you) and how confident the identification was;
  • your photo (see below);
  • where you caught it, if location is on, with how accurate the reading was and where it came from (see "Your location");
  • a "screen photo" score from our fair-play check, which spots photos taken of a screen or a printed picture.

We use this to build your Collection, give you points and mastery, keep the game fair, and draw your catch map.

Your photos

The photo you take of each bird is uploaded at a reduced size (about 1280 pixels on its longest side) to private storage that only your account can read. You see it in your album and on that bird's page. No other player can see your photos unless you share one yourself. We don't use your photos for anything other than running the app.

Your location (only if you allow it)

BirdChase asks for your location only while you're using the app. It never uses your location in the background. If you allow it, we use it to:

  • show which birds live where you are, and in which seasons;
  • pick a daily bird that you can actually find near you;
  • place each catch on your catch map.

We keep your latest position rounded to about 1 km (a little over half a mile). Each catch keeps the spot where it was made, along with how accurate that reading was and whether it came from a fresh GPS reading or your phone's last known position (for example, when you're offline). Only you can see where your catches were made. Your phone also remembers your last position, so the app still works without a signal.

Game data

Your points, candy, streaks, badges, quests, mastery levels and avatar choice. We use these to run the game and save your progress.

Feedback you send

If you use Settings → Send Feedback, we get:

  • your message and its type (bug, idea or other);
  • whether you're OK with us emailing you a reply;
  • the app's version;
  • your phone's platform and system version, and your phone's model (not your phone's name).

Feedback is linked to your account. We use it to fix bugs and improve BirdChase. If you said it's OK, we may email you about it at your account's email address.

Beta sign-up on our website

If you join the beta on birdchase.app, we collect your email address, which phone you have (Android or iPhone), the time you signed up, and a one-way hash of your IP address. A hash is a scrambled code, not the address itself. We use it only to stop spam and repeated sign-ups.

We use your sign-up only to invite you to the beta and to tell you when BirdChase launches. To invite you to the Android beta, we add your email address to the app's tester list on Google Play. You can ask us to remove your sign-up at any time.

Emails you send us

If you email support@birdchase.app, we get your email address and whatever you write, and we use them to answer you.

How bird identification works

Most photos are identified right on your phone by an AI model built into the app. This works even with no signal.

For tricky photos, the app can take a closer look with a cloud AI check called Deep analysis. Deep analysis is on unless you turn it off. When it's on, you're online and the model on your phone isn't sure, our server sends the photo to Google's Gemini API, which tells us which bird it sees. The same happens whenever you tap "Not sure? Ask the AI" on the results, in either mode. Only the image is sent. We never send your name, email, location or anything else about you. Google handles the photo under its own terms for the Gemini API.

If you'd rather photos stay on your phone, set Photo Analysis to Normal in Settings (you can also switch it on the catch screen) and don't tap "Not sure? Ask the AI". Then identification happens only on your phone.

Who we share data with

We share data only with the service providers that help us run BirdChase, and only what each one needs to do its job:

Provider What they do for us
Supabase Accounts and sign-in, our database, and photo storage. Hosted in the United States.
Google The Gemini API identifies birds in photos sent for an AI check. Google Play distributes the app and runs the Android beta tester list. On Android, your phone's built-in location service (usually Google's) turns your position into the place name shown in Settings → Your Area.
U.S. Geological Survey The map pictures behind your catch map come from the USGS's free public map service. Your phone loads them directly, so USGS sees your IP address and which part of the map you're viewing, as any website you visit would.
Expo Builds the app and delivers app updates. The app checks Expo's servers for updates.
Cloudflare Hosts this website and routes our support email.

When you share. If you share a card, a catch or your collection, the picture goes to the app you choose (like WhatsApp, Messages or Instagram), and that app's own rules apply.

When the law requires it. We may share information if the law requires us to, or if it's needed to protect the safety of our players or others.

What we don't collect or do

  • No ads, and no ad networks.
  • No analytics or tracking tools in the app.
  • We don't collect your advertising ID.
  • We don't access your contacts.
  • We don't use your microphone. The app plays bird calls, but it never records sound.
  • We don't use your location in the background.
  • We don't sell your personal information, and we don't share it for advertising.
  • The birdchase.app website uses no cookies, analytics or trackers.

How we protect your data

  • Data is encrypted while it travels between your phone and our servers (HTTPS).
  • Our database rules let each player read only their own data.
  • Your photos are kept in private storage that only your account can read.
  • Passwords are stored hashed, never as plain text.

No system is perfectly secure, but we work hard to keep your information safe. If you think your account has been misused, email us right away.

How long we keep it

  • Your account, catches, photos, progress and feedback: kept for as long as your account exists. When you delete your account in the app, all of it is deleted right away.
  • Backups: any backup copies expire within 30 days.
  • A photo you delete: removed right away, along with that catch's record.
  • Beta sign-ups: kept until BirdChase launches plus a short time after, or until you ask us to remove yours.

How to delete your account

In the app: go to Settings → Account → Delete Account, then tap Delete Forever. Your account, profile, catches, photos, progress and feedback are deleted right away.

Without the app: email support@birdchase.app from the email address on your account, with the subject "Delete my account". We'll delete it within 30 days. We may ask you to confirm it's really you first.

See Delete your BirdChase account for step-by-step help and exactly what gets deleted.

Your choices

  • Location: you can say no when the app asks, or turn location off at any time in your phone's settings. You can still catch and collect birds. The app just can't show birds near you, match the daily bird to your area, or place catches on your catch map.
  • AI check: set Photo Analysis to Normal in Settings and skip "Not sure? Ask the AI", and no photo will be sent to the AI check.
  • Your photos: you can delete any photo. Open it in your album or on a bird's page and tap Delete Photo. This also removes that catch's record.
  • Feedback replies: when you send feedback, you can turn off "OK to email me about this".
  • Beta emails: email us at any time to be taken off the beta list and launch emails.
  • Your whole account: you can delete it at any time (see How to delete your account).

Your rights

Depending on where you live (for example, in some US states, Canada, the European Union or the United Kingdom), you may have the right to:

  • know what personal information we have about you, and get a copy of it;
  • correct information that's wrong;
  • delete your information;
  • get your information in a format you can take elsewhere;
  • object to or limit some uses of your information, or take back your consent (for example, by turning off location);
  • not be treated differently for using any of these rights.

We're happy to help with any of these, wherever you live. Email support@birdchase.app, ideally from the email address on your account. We may need to confirm it's really you before we act. We'll answer within the time the law where you live requires.

If you're not happy with how we handled your request, you can also contact the data protection or privacy authority where you live.

Children

BirdChase is not directed to children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect their personal information. If you're a parent or guardian and you think your child under 13 has a BirdChase account, email support@birdchase.app and we'll delete it.

In some places, the minimum age to agree to the use of your data online is higher than 13. If that's true where you live, you need to be that age to use BirdChase (see our Terms of Service).

Where your data is stored

Our database and photo storage are hosted by Supabase in the United States. If you use BirdChase from outside the US, your information is sent to and stored in the US, where privacy laws may be different from the laws where you live. Our other service providers (Google, Expo and Cloudflare) may also handle data in other countries where they operate.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as BirdChase changes. When we do, we'll change the date at the top of this page. If a change is important, we'll also let you know in the app or by email.

Contact us

Questions about this policy or your data? Email support@birdchase.app, or use Settings → Send Feedback in the app.

This policy is effective as of November 6, 2026.