Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium use computer systems for bird identification. In one aspect, a method includes presenting, on a mobile device, selectable templates showing bird body shapes; receiving input, on the mobile device, indicating colors for predefined regions of a bird body shown in a selected template of the multiple selectable templates, the indicated colors corresponding to an observed bird; and storing information representing the indicated colors for the predefined regions of the bird body for later identification of the observed bird. In another aspect, a system includes: one or more computers to provide one or more services; a network coupled with the one or more computers; and a mobile computing device configured to connect to the network and the one or more computers by wireless communication; where the mobile computing device is programmed to perform operations as described herein.