The ornithological artist drawing 1,000 birds by hand – all for an app that wants you off your phone

In the serene coastal town of Bolinas, California, artist Keith Hansen has been meticulously crafting a watercolor of a painted bunting, the final strokes adding a finishing touch to the bird's vivid cobalt blue plumage. The artist, a renowned ornithological illustrator, is nearing the completion of a monumental task – a hand-painted collection of all 1,000 bird species ever recorded from the US and Canada.

This intricate artwork will form the visual foundation of an app called Flock, whose mission diverges from the norm. Rather than encouraging users to become more screen-dependent, Flock seeks to lure them away from their devices and into the captivating world of birding.

The brainchild of Hansen's friends Adam Donkin and Bob Stevenson, Flock was conceived while the duo was birding together. Stevenson, a 58-year-old Scotsman, had recently returned to nature at the age of 48, gaining a newfound appreciation for the beauty of the natural world. Donkin, a 52-year-old designer from Marin County, had been introducing Stevenson to the thriving birding community in Marin.

Stevenson recognized the parallels between birding and multi-player gaming, where users learn new skills, progress through mastery curves, and engage with a competitive yet supportive community.

Inspired by Stevenson's revelation, Donkin proposed the idea of developing an app to harness these elements of game design to increase engagement in birding. Together with Hansen, they aimed to create an app that would not only educate users about the birds but also foster a community of conservationists. The trio's shared passion for birds and birding united them, driving them to create an app that would encourage users to explore the world of birding and, in turn, contribute to the conservation of these magnificent creatures.