Last updated: October 29, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Pipit collects, uses, shares, and protects your information when you use the Pipit mobile app, the Pipit+ subscription, and our website at pipitbirding.com (together, the "Services"). "Pipit," "we," "us," and "our" refer to Pipit LLC, a Florida limited liability company.
By using the Services, you agree to this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Services.
The Services may link to websites, apps, or services that we do not own or control. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices, so please review their privacy policies before sharing information with them.
Pipit asks for permission before accessing your location, microphone, camera, or photo library. You can change these permissions at any time in your device settings. Some features will not work without them.
We use your information to:
We use the sighting data you submit, including locations, to train and improve features such as "Birds Likely Near You." Audio you attach to sightings is not used for training. This is part of how these features work and cannot be turned off on its own. If you do not want your data used this way, you can choose not to use these features or not give Pipit access to your location.
Pipit uses your device's precise location to tag your sightings and to show birds likely near you. We collect location only while you are using the app.
Who can see your locations. When you create your account, you choose whether your sighting locations are visible to other users. You can change this choice later in your settings. You can remove location from a sighting or delete the sighting at any time.
Home privacy zone. You can set a privacy zone around your home address. Pipit hides the exact location of sightings you log inside that zone from other users. To do this, we store the home location you choose, and we never show it to other users. You can change or remove your privacy zone at any time in your settings.
Photo location data. Photos taken on phones and cameras can contain hidden GPS data. Pipit removes this location data from photos you upload, so your photos cannot be used to find where they were taken.
Your choices. You can turn off location access in your device settings. You can still log sightings by entering a location by hand.
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for targeted advertising. We share information only in the cases described in this section:
Pipit may use photos you post in the app, including in the Bird Index, on our website, on our social media accounts, and in other promotional materials, as described in our Terms of Service. When we use your photo, we will credit you by your Pipit username. We do not use photos posted by users under 18 in this way unless a parent or guardian has given permission.
You keep ownership of the photos you post. Other users may not reuse your photos without your permission. However, other users can see the photos you post and may take screenshots, and we cannot fully control what people do with content once they have seen it. Only post photos you are comfortable sharing publicly.
To support bird research and conservation, Pipit may share sighting data with scientific and conservation databases, such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). This data may include species, counts, dates, and sighting locations. We will not include your name, username, email address, or other account details. Sightings may be shared even if you have chosen to keep your sighting locations hidden from other Pipit users. In that case, we share only a generalized location, such as the approximate area or county, never the exact spot. We will not share the exact location of sightings logged inside your home privacy zone. Once data has been shared with a research database, we may not be able to remove it.
| Category | What they do |
|---|---|
| Cloud hosting and database providers | Host the app and website, and store accounts, logs, and community content |
| Email and communication providers | Run our mailing list, website contact form, and support email |
| App stores and subscription management providers | Distribute the app, process payments, and track subscription status |
| Analytics providers | Provide website and app analytics, and app crash reporting |
Pipit+ is sold through the Apple App Store and Google Play. Apple or Google processes your payment under their own privacy policies. We never receive your full card number or billing details. We receive only what we need to confirm your subscription, such as its status, plan, and renewal date.
You can manage or cancel Pipit+ in your App Store or Google Play account settings. Deleting the Pipit app or your Pipit account does not cancel a subscription by itself. We use a subscription management provider to track subscription status across Apple and Google.
Depending on where you live, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia, Texas, Oregon, and other states with consumer privacy laws, you may have the right to:
To make a request, email support@pipitbirding.com with the subject "Privacy Request." We will verify your identity before acting and respond within 30 days. You may use an authorized agent to make a request for you. If we deny your request, you may appeal by replying to our decision, and we will respond within the time required by your state's law.
Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control. Pipit does not track you across other websites or apps and does not sell or share your information for targeted advertising, so there is nothing for these signals to opt you out of. Where state law requires it, we treat a Global Privacy Control signal as a valid opt-out request.
California residents: in the past 12 months we collected identifiers, account information, precise geolocation, audio recordings, user content, and device and usage information, for the purposes described above. We have not sold or shared personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.
Pipit is not intended for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If we learn that a child under 13 has given us personal information, we will delete it. Parents who believe their child has used Pipit can contact us at support@pipitbirding.com.
Teens aged 13 to 17. Teens may use Pipit. Where state law requires it, we require a parent's consent before a teen can download Pipit or make in-app purchases. In most cases that consent is collected through the Apple App Store or Google Play. A parent or guardian may contact us at support@pipitbirding.com to review or delete their teen's information or account.
Age information from app stores. In some states, the Apple App Store and Google Play tell us your age range and, for users under 18, whether a parent has given consent. We use this information only to verify age, apply parental consent requirements, and meet our legal obligations. We do not use it for any other purpose, and we delete it once it is no longer needed for these purposes.
We keep your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Services. When you delete your account, we delete your personal information within 30 days. Backups are cleared within 90 days. We may keep limited records longer when the law requires it or to resolve disputes. Recordings used only to identify a bird with "Pipit Audio ID" are not stored. Audio you attach to a sighting is kept with that sighting until you delete it. When you delete your account, we delete all of your content. Photos we have already used on our website, on social media, in the Bird Index, or in other materials may remain in those places. Sighting data already shared with research databases, without your name or account details, may also remain there.
We use reasonable safeguards, including encryption in transit, to protect your information. No system is perfectly secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a data breach affects your personal information, we will notify you as required by law.
We may update this policy from time to time. We will post the new version here and update the effective date. For significant changes, we will notify you in the app or by email before they take effect.
Pipit LLC
711 18th Ave S #2, St. Petersburg, FL 33705
Email: support@pipitbirding.com
Website: pipitbirding.com