eBird MCP Server

# eBird MCP Server: Example Usage This document provides examples of how to use the eBird MCP Server with Claude. ## Basic Queries ### Finding Recent Bird Observations To find recent bird observations in a specific region, you can ask Claude something like: > "What birds have been observed recently in New York state?" Claude will use the `ebird_get_recent_observations` tool with `regionCode` set to "US-NY". ### Finding Nearby Observations To find bird observations near a specific location, you can ask Claude something like: > "What birds have been spotted near Central Park, New York City?" Claude will use the `ebird_get_nearby_observations` tool with `lat` and `lng` coordinates for Central Park. ### Finding Notable or Rare Birds To find notable or rare bird observations, you can ask Claude something like: > "What rare birds have been reported in California recently?" Claude will use the `ebird_get_notable_observations` tool with `regionCode` set to "US-CA". ### Finding Observations of a Specific Species To find observations of a specific bird species, you can ask Claude something like: > "Where have Bald Eagles been seen in Washington state this week?" Claude will use the `ebird_get_recent_observations_for_species` tool with `regionCode` set to "US-WA" and `speciesCode` set to "baleag". ### Finding Birding Hotspots To find birding hotspots in a region, you can ask Claude something like: > "What are some good birding hotspots in Florida?" Claude will use the `ebird_get_hotspots` tool with `regionCode` set to "US-FL". ## Advanced Queries ### Combining Multiple Queries You can ask more complex questions that require multiple tool calls, such as: > "Compare the recent bird sightings between Central Park and Golden Gate Park." Claude will make multiple calls to get observations from both locations and present a comparison. ### Getting Detailed Taxonomy Information For taxonomy information, you can ask Claude something like: > "Tell me about the taxonomic classification of the Black-capped Chickadee." Claude will use the `ebird_get_taxonomy` tool and filter the results for the Black-capped Chickadee. ### Finding Nearby Hotspots with Recent Activity To find active birding locations near you, you can ask Claude something like: > "What are the most active birding hotspots within 10 miles of Boston that have had bird sightings in the last week?" Claude will use the `ebird_get_nearby_hotspots` tool with parameters for Boston's coordinates and recent activity. ## Tips for Effective Use 1. **Be specific about locations**: Provide city names, states, or even specific parks when asking about bird observations. 2. **Use common bird names**: When asking about specific species, use common English names rather than scientific names. 3. **Specify time periods if relevant**: For example, "in the last three days" or "this week" helps Claude set the appropriate `back` parameter. 4. **Ask about notable birds**: If you're interested in rare sightings, explicitly ask about "notable" or "rare" birds. 5. **Define search radius**: When looking for nearby observations, specifying a distance (e.g., "within 5 miles") helps Claude set the `dist` parameter appropriately.