Privacy Policy for BirdPulse

BirdPulse is designed to work with minimal personal data collection. We do not require you to create an account.

a. Information You Provide

• Photos and Audio Recordings: When you use the Photo Identification or Sound Identification features, the App captures images or audio recordings on your device and sends them to our servers (and third-party AI providers) solely for the purpose of identifying the bird species. These recordings are not stored long-term and are not associated with your identity.
• Chat Messages: When you use the in-app AI chat feature ("Owl Chat"), the messages you send are processed by third-party AI services to generate responses.
• Subscription Information: If you purchase a subscription, your payment is handled by Apple (App Store). We receive a subscription status (active / inactive) from Apple via RevenueCat, but we do not receive or store your payment card details.

b. Information Collected Automatically

• Device & Usage Data: Standard, non-identifying technical information such as device model, operating system version, app version, and crash logs may be collected to help us maintain and improve the App.
• Approximate Location (Optional): With your permission, the App may use your approximate location to improve identification accuracy (e.g., biasing results toward birds common in your area). This is processed in real time and not stored. You can disable location access at any time in your device settings.

c. Information Stored Locally on Your Device

Your Nature Journal, Collections, Favorites, identification history, and app preferences are stored locally on your device using your device's local storage. This information does not leave your device unless you choose to share it.

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide bird identification (photo and sound) and chat features
• Improve identification accuracy
• Maintain, troubleshoot, and improve the App
• Manage subscriptions and entitlements
• Comply with legal obligations

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do not use your personal data for advertising.

To provide identification and chat features, BirdPulse uses the following third-party services. Each has its own privacy policy governing their handling of data:

• OpenAI — used for photo identification and AI chat (when you take a photo or send a chat, the image or text is sent to OpenAI for processing). See: https://openai.com/policies/privacy-policy
• Google (DeepMind Perch) — used for sound identification (when you record a bird sound, the audio clip is sent for processing).
• RevenueCat — manages subscription state and entitlement. See: https://www.revenuecat.com/privacy
• Apple App Store — handles all payment processing for subscriptions. See: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/
• Wikipedia / Xeno-canto — used to display species information and bird sound recordings (public reference data, no personal information sent).

When you use these features, the relevant data (photo, audio, chat text) is transmitted to these providers solely for processing the identification or response. We do not share your personal identity with these providers.

• Photos and audio sent for identification are processed in real time and are not retained by us after the identification is complete.
• Subscription status is retained as long as your subscription is active.
• Locally stored data (Journal, Collections, etc.) remains on your device until you delete the App or clear the data manually.

BirdPulse is intended for general audiences. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 (or the equivalent minimum age in your jurisdiction). If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it.

Depending on your location, you may have rights under applicable privacy laws (including GDPR, CCPA, and others), such as:

• The right to access information about you
• The right to request deletion of your information
• The right to object to or restrict processing
• The right to data portability

Because we collect minimal personal data and most of your data is stored locally on your device, many requests can be fulfilled by simply deleting the App and clearing its data. For specific requests, contact us at the email below.

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the information processed by the App. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

BirdPulse may be used worldwide. By using the App, you understand that information may be transferred to, processed, and stored in countries other than your own, including the United States, where our third-party service providers operate.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top. Significant changes will be communicated through the App or our website.

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us at:

Email: [email protected]