The ornithological artist drawing 1,000 birds by hand – all for an app that wants you off your phone
Ornithological artist Keith Hansen is hand-painting roughly 1,000 bird species recorded in the US and Canada for Flock, an app designed to encourage people to leave their screens and go birdwatching. The project matters because it combines detailed natural-history artwork with technology intended to build interest in birds and conservation rather than maximise users’ time online.
Hansen had completed 420 illustrations, including a painted bunting, leaving 584 to finish; the collection excludes Hawaiian birds but includes species found up to 200 miles offshore. Flock was created by his friends Adam Donkin, a former Amazon product designer, and Bob Stevenson, a veteran video-game designer, drawing on their shared long-standing enthusiasm for birding.
In short
- Artist Keith Hansen is painting 1,000 North American bird species.
- Flock aims to get users birdwatching away from screens.
- Its creators combine technology, gaming and conservation interests.
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The case for
An app can be an effective gateway to nature engagement, particularly for people who discover passion through digital content before stepping outdoors. The combination of beautiful illustrations and identification tools transforms the smartphone from a distraction into a practical field aid that enhances real-world birdwatching and builds conservation interest, especially amongst audiences who might otherwise never develop these pursuits.
The case against
Designing an app to encourage outdoor engagement places technology at the centre of a relationship with nature that should be direct and unmediated. Genuine environmental interest develops through personal exploration; relying on apps to inspire birdwatching addresses symptoms of disconnection rather than the underlying problem of excessive screen time and insufficient unstructured outdoor experience.
Explained simply
Birding is the practice of watching and identifying wild birds. The United States and Canada are home to many species, and some are found far out at sea; Hawaii has a distinct birdlife that is outside the scope of this collection.
Keith Hansen is an ornithological artist, meaning he specialises in depicting birds. He is making painted illustrations for Flock, an app created by Adam Donkin, a former Amazon product designer, and Bob Stevenson, a video-game designer, who share an interest in birding.
The project brings detailed natural-history artwork into a digital tool designed to encourage people to go outside and watch birds. That connects the app’s technology with learning about birds and interest in their conservation.
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