How to Become a Backyard Naturalist With Just Your Smartphone

Gizmodo: “In the early days of summer, backyards come to life. Warmer temperatures transform spring buds into lush greenery, coax insects from their winter slumber, and invite newborn animals to explore their surroundings on wobbling legs or wings. With smartphones, documenting this emerging wildlife has never been easier. These days, all the tools you need to become a backyard naturalist fit right in the palm of your hand. And while June is an especially good time to start, you can use your phone to observe organisms, identify species, and record sightings any time of year, no matter your location. It’s more than just a hobby—scientists can use your data to conduct important research, allowing you to make contributions as a citizen scientist.  “Twenty years ago, if a researcher wanted to understand an ecological pattern, the main way to do that was to go out and collect data,” said Corey Callaghan, a global change ecologist at the University of Florida. “But now with this smartphone revolution over the last 20 years, the number of observations recorded by everyday people—whether they’re really into birding or just interested in the animals in their backyard—has exponentially increased the amount of data available to use,” he said. Gillian Bowser, a wildlife ecologist at Colorado State University, also recalls a time when a lack of digital tools limited research in her field. “The data now is so much more accessible because of the smartphone,” she said. These devices are particularly useful because they record the precise location of each sighting and allow users to easily upload data to open-source platforms, she said. Gizmodo turned to Bowser and Callaghan for expert advice on becoming a backyard naturalist. They shared their favorite apps, pro tips, and explained how researchers like them use the data you collect to support science…”