How to use CootDB
Look up bird names in multiple languages at once.
What CootDB does
CootDB lets you look up the names of bird species across 43 languages simultaneously. Whether you're preparing a birding trip abroad, checking a field guide, or just curious what a bird is called in another language, CootDB shows you all the translations side by side.
Step by step
- Choose your languages. Click the Language 1 field in the column header and type or scroll to select your preferred language. Do the same for Language 2. You can add up to four language columns using the + button, or remove a column with the × button that appears in its header.
- Search for a bird. Once at least two languages are selected, the search fields become active. Type at least three characters of a bird's name — in any column's language — and a dropdown of matching species appears. You can use multiple words to narrow the results: for example, long ear matches Long-eared Owl.
- Pick a species. Click a result (or use the arrow keys and Enter) to add it to your list. All columns fill in instantly, each name linking to the relevant Wikipedia article. A photo thumbnail and a speaker icon also appear (see below).
- Build your list. A new empty row appears after each selection. Keep searching to build up as many entries as you like — up to 50 species. A counter in the corner shows how many you have added.
- Sort, rearrange, or remove. Click the ↕ button in any column header to sort the list alphabetically by that column. Click again for reverse order; a third click restores the original insertion order. You can also drag the grip icon () on the left of a row or at the top of a column to manually reorder it. Click × on a row to remove that species.
Photos and audio
- Photo thumbnail — a small circular photo appears to the left of each row. Click it to see the full-size image in an overlay along with a link to the original source. If no photo is available, a camera icon is shown as a placeholder.
- Speaker icon — click it to open the species' page on Xeno-canto, where you can listen to field recordings of bird calls and songs. For extinct species, the speaker is replaced with a crossed-out icon indicating that no recordings are available.
Toolbar actions
- Clear table — removes all birds from the list, leaving a fresh empty row.
- Random — fills the table with 10 randomly chosen species, displayed in English, Latin (scientific name), and one additional language chosen from those with the broadest coverage. A quick way to explore the database.
- Copy table — copies your list as tab-separated text, ready to paste directly into a spreadsheet or document.
- Copy CSV — copies your list in CSV format (comma-separated, RFC 4180), suitable for importing into Excel, Google Sheets, or data tools.
- Share link — the URL updates automatically as you work, so you can bookmark it at any time or copy it from the address bar. Click Share link to copy it to your clipboard with one click; opening the link restores your exact language setup and species list.
Display options
The controls in the top-right corner of every page let you adjust how CootDB looks. All settings are saved in your browser and remembered between visits.
- Interface language — the globe icon opens a dropdown to switch the app's own labels and buttons into one of nine languages: English, Danish, German, Spanish, French, Norwegian, Dutch, Polish, or Swedish. This affects the interface only, not the bird name data.
- Font size — the A− and A+ buttons step through four sizes. Useful on large monitors or for accessibility.
- Color mode — choose System (follows your OS preference), Light, or Dark.
- Color theme — the palette icon lets you pick a colour scheme: Default, Catppuccin, Dracula, Gruvbox, Nord, Solarized, Tokyo Night, or High Contrast. Themes work in both light and dark mode.
Advanced search syntax
By default, typing a word matches it anywhere in the name. Several special prefixes and suffixes give you more control:
| Syntax | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
word |
Substring anywhere in the name | war matches Warbler, Waxwing, Fieldfare |
"word" |
Whole word only (exact word boundary) | "owl" matches Barn Owl but not Owlet |
^prefix |
A word in the name starts with this | ^sky matches Eurasian Skylark |
suffix$ |
A word in the name ends with this | star$ matches Woodstar but not Starling |
^exact$ |
A word matches exactly | ^swift$ matches Common Swift but not Swiftlet |
Multiple tokens are combined with AND logic — all tokens must match.
Tokens can be mixed freely: ^bar "owl" finds species where
one word starts with bar and another word is exactly owl.
Any misplaced ^ or $ (e.g. in the middle of a token) returns no results.
Up to 10 tokens per search, 200 characters total.
Tips
- Search works in every column — type a name in any selected language.
- Multi-word search narrows results: crested grebe or ear owl both work.
- The count next to your query (e.g. crane (14)) shows how many species match across the entire database, not just the visible page.
- The ⓘ icon next to the search box is a quick-reference tooltip for the search syntax — hover or tap it without leaving the page.
- Hover over any bird name to reveal a copy button — handy for grabbing a single name.
- Each bird name is a link to its Wikipedia article in that language.
- Scientific names are available as the Latin language.
- Your language selection is remembered between visits — no need to set it up every time.
- The URL updates live as you add birds and change languages — bookmark it or share it straight from your address bar without clicking Share link.
- Sorting by a column doesn't affect the share link order — the original insertion order is always preserved and restored when someone opens the link.
Something not working? Have an idea?
If you run into a bug, something confusing, or a feature that would make CootDB more useful to you, please use the contact page to let us know. Feature ideas from real users are especially welcome — the best improvements come from people who actually use the tool.