How to play Sightfern, the free real-world animal spotting game
Short answer
Sightfern turns walks into a collection game. Tap Start camera and point your phone at a real cat, dog or bird. When a dashed box appears around the animal, tap Spot it: an on-device recogniser reads its coat or plumage colour and the time of day and adds a sighting card to your field album. Photos and the album stay on your phone.
- Open Sightfern on your phone and tap Start camera (or pick a photo from your gallery).
- Point the back camera at a cat, dog or bird so it fills about a third of the frame.
- When the dashed box appears around the animal, tap Spot it.
- Sightfern reads the colour and the time of day and adds a sighting card to your album.
- Fill every colour slot on the Cats, Dogs and Birds pages and collect badges.
- Spot at least one animal a day to keep your streak, and complete the daily quest.
Rarity tips
Night sightings (after 9 pm) rank one rarity higher. Patched two-colour cats and dogs are rare: look for tuxedo, calico and piebald coats.
No animal nearby?
Use Tag it myself to add a sighting by hand from a past photo; it gets a hand-tagged stamp.
Privacy
Recognition runs on your device and the album is stored in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and location is off unless you switch on the optional rough location.
CyberMax Fun Pass: One pass for every CyberMax game
from $2.99/monthSightfern is free: the camera recogniser, the Cats, Dogs and Birds albums, badges, quests and streaks, with no ads and no sign-up. The Fun Pass adds Farm and Wild & zoo albums and extra card frames.
Secure checkout · 14-day fix-or-refund if it doesn't work as described (terms)Questions
Is Sightfern free?
Yes. The recogniser, the three main albums, badges, quests and streaks are free, with no ads and no sign-up.
Are my photos uploaded?
No. Recognition runs on your device and the album stays in your browser.
Does it work on a laptop?
Yes. Use a webcam or choose a photo file; the same recogniser runs in the browser.
Free: the Free Games and Puzzles Pack
A printable puzzle sampler plus daily browser games, then 5 short emails with tips and new games.