![The invention of early home answering machines, such as the PhoneMate, helped birding hotlines take off in the 1950s to 1970s.](https://media.audubon.org/web_au1121_rb_027.jpg?width=306&height=195&auto=webp&quality=10&fit=crop&enable=upscale&blur=100)
Where Have All the Rare Bird Alerts Gone?
Long before eBird, birders simply called up an avian hotline to learn where to chase unusual birds. Today these phone services are themselves sliding toward extinction—with one notable exception.