The Search Tool includes a number of different input, control, and message elements. They are grouped into six functional clusters:
- Form fields (5) at the top whose values determine the search
- Buttons (3 rows) to perform actions
- Message panel for notifications from the Tool
- Table for displaying and sorting formatted eBird responses
The five form fields - the group marked by a red arrow - provide the values that are entered into the eBird search request and define the search. The first two, Latitude and Longitude, specify the center of the search area. Any valid lat/lng values may be typed in. However, it is usually much easier to use the Map Tool to specify a geographic point. As discussed there, the lat/lng values for the last marker created, touched or dragged are available to the Search Tool. They may be transferred to the form fields by simply clicking on the underlined Latitude and Longitude labels.
The DaysBack and Distance fields must be entered manually. The first is the calendar duration for the search and has a maximum value of 30 days. The Distance is the number of kilometers (0.6 miles) from the center point that defines the circular area in which to search and has a maximum value of 50.
The last parameter for the search is the Include menu, marked with a red arrow and shown in the image, below. It allows any one of four search options: (1) All species sighted within the search area, (2) the Notable or rare species, (3) only sightings of the species, specified by scientific name, included in the field below labelled Species, and (4) the eBird-recognized Hotspots found in the area.
Buttons are arranged in three rows: the Search button in the first row, marked with a red arrow, initiates the search, the last row ports results to the Map Tool, the middle row clear the form and resets values, as conventional for Web forms.
eBird receives the search request, performs the action, and returns the results as XML formatted data.The Tool formats the data and inserts it into the SortableTable.
The Messages Panel is an area the Tools uses to display information to the user, such as error messages, details about the search, etc., in this case, the number of sightings (40) found in the search.
Shown at the bottom of the figure is the Sortable Table into which the formatted results of a search are placed. The original data are ordered randomly, but by clicking on any column heading, the user may sort the table on that column's data. In the example shown, the data have been sorted on the common name for the birds sighted. A second click on a column heading will sort the data into reverse order.
Note also that common names as well as scientific names are underscored (and marked with red arrows), indicating that each is a Web link. Clicking on a Common Name will result in displaying eBird's All About Birds page for that species in a separate browser tab. There, one may review general information about the species. Of particular note is the easy access there to the bird's taxonomic context - other species in the selected bird's family, the other families in the order, and the other orders in the class, Aves.
Clicking on Scientific Name copies the scientific name into the field, above, labelled Species and it changes the selected Include menu option to Species. This prepares the form for an eBird search for all sightings of the designated species within the specified geographic area and daysback time frame.
Clicking on the Location for a sighting or either the Latitude or Longitude will replace the Latitude and Longitude values in the Search form, above, with the values for the selected Location. This facilitates a subsequent search centered at the selected location.
A number of insights can be gained by viewing the data in different sort sequences; however, for some considerations, the data need to be viewed in a spatial or geographic context. Two final functions that permit this will be explained in relation to the first figure, above.
The two buttons, marked in red, in the third row port data from the Search Tool to the Map Tool for viewing within a Google map. The first, labeled Map Area, ports to the Map the area defined by the latitude, longitude, and distance values entered in the form fields. This function can be used either before or after a search is performed. If ported first, the user can see and, if necessary, adjust the area parameters prior to invoking the search.
The second, labeled Map Results, can be invoked only after the search has been submitted. It shows each of the sightings as a marker on the Map. Each marker can be selected to show a summary of the information associated with all the birds included in the particular sighting.
The Search Tool can be used independently, but more commonly it is sandwiched between visits to the Map Tool. Links to descriptions of both the Input and the Display Map Tool functions follow:
- Help Overview
- Map Tool (Input)
- Search Tool - This Page
- Map Tool (Area & Sightings)