Your Privacy, Simply Explained
We believe privacy policies should be clear, honest, and even a little bit delightful.
Based on data minimization, transparency, and user control
Settings
Stored only on your device
Diagnostics
Anonymous crash reports
Personal Data
We collect none
The Full Picture
A transparent look at what we do and don't collect. Hover over any item for more details.
collected about you
What We Collect
Your selected geographic area for bird content
Volume level and mute preferences
Helps us fix bugs without identifying you
Which features are popular (aggregated)
For debugging compatibility issues
What We DON'T Collect
Name, email, address - never collected
We have no idea what sites you visit
Zero cookies, zero tracking
Anonymized before processing
No fingerprinting, no device IDs
Searches go directly to your browser
Only your manually selected region
No social integrations whatsoever
Where Your Data Flows
An interactive look at how BirdTab handles your information. Click on any node to learn more.
Your Device
Settings stored locally in browser storage
BirdTab API
Fetches bird data for your region
Macaulay Library
Bird images and audio from Cornell
Sentry
Anonymous error tracking
PostHog
Anonymous usage analytics
The Details
For those who want the full story. Click any section to expand.
The following data is stored locally on your device using your browser's storage API:
- Region preference - Your selected geographic region for bird content
- Audio settings - Volume level and mute state
- Quiet hours settings - Your preferred quiet hours schedule
- Quick access settings - Whether top sites and search are enabled
- Custom shortcuts - Any shortcuts you've added
- Onboarding status - Whether you've completed the initial setup
This data stays on your device and syncs across your browsers only if you're signed into your browser account.
To improve BirdTab and fix bugs, we collect anonymous diagnostic data using Sentry.io.
What we collect:
- Error reports (crash data, error messages, stack traces)
- Performance metrics (page load times, API response times)
- Extension version and browser information
- Your selected region (for debugging regional issues)
What we DO NOT collect:
- Personal information (name, email, address)
- Browsing history or websites you visit
- Content you view outside of BirdTab
- Your IP address (it's anonymized)
How it's used:
Diagnostic data helps us identify and fix bugs, improve extension performance, understand which features have issues, and prioritize development work. Data is retained for 30 days.
To understand how users interact with BirdTab, we collect anonymous usage analytics using PostHog.
What we collect:
- Feature usage (which features are used, e.g., quiz, share, audio playback)
- User preferences (video mode, auto-play settings - aggregated)
- Session information (new tab opens - counted, not tracked individually)
- Quiz completion (scores and duration - aggregated statistics only)
Technical details:
- Anonymous visitor ID (randomly generated, not linked to any personal data)
- No cookies used (memory-only storage)
- Respects browser "Do Not Track" setting
- Data is stored in EU data centers (Frankfurt, Germany)
BirdTab connects to the following external services:
| Service | Purpose | Data Sent |
|---|---|---|
| api.birdtab.app | Fetch bird data for your region | Region code only |
| search.macaulaylibrary.org | Fetch bird images and audio | Bird species code only |
| sentry.io | Error tracking and diagnostics | Anonymous diagnostic data |
| posthog.com | Usage analytics | Anonymous usage events |
Permissions Explained
BirdTab requests only the permissions it needs. Click any permission to learn exactly what it does.
Your Browser
Third-Party Services
We carefully select partners who share our commitment to privacy. Here's exactly what each service does.
Sentry.io
Error Tracking
Helps us identify and fix bugs by collecting anonymous crash reports.
PostHog
Usage Analytics
Helps us understand which features are valuable so we can improve BirdTab.
Macaulay Library
Bird Content
Provides the beautiful bird images and authentic sounds you see in BirdTab.
Your Rights
You're in control. Here's what you can do with your data.
Opt Out Anytime
Disable or uninstall BirdTab to stop all data collection instantly.
Clear Local Data
Remove all stored settings by uninstalling the extension from your browser.
Request Information
Contact us to learn what data we have. Spoiler: it's anonymous and minimal.
Contact Us→Data Portability
Your settings are stored locally and can be exported via your browser.
Children's Privacy
BirdTab is suitable for all ages and does not knowingly collect data from children under 13. The extension does not require any personal information to function.
Questions? We're Here
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or BirdTab's data practices, we'd love to hear from you.
We'll notify you of significant changes through extension update notes.