Do I need consent to use Bird on my website?

Conditional. Bird's chat widget is functional — session cookies for active support conversations are exempt from consent. However, email tracking pixels and the _bird_track attribution cookie, which link email recipients to website sessions, are marketing-purpose and require explicit consent.

What cookies does Bird set?

Bird sets bird_session (session cookie for active chat state), bird_contact (persistent cookie for returning visitor recognition and conversation history), and _bird_track (links email campaign recipients to post-click website sessions). Scripts communicate with api.bird.com and SparkPost-related tracking domains.

How does ConsentStack manage Bird consent?

ConsentStack applies a dual classification. The chat widget loads as functional without requiring consent. Email tracking attribution cookies — including _bird_track — are classified as marketing and blocked until the visitor opts in. If your Bird integration is chat-only with no email tracking, it operates entirely as functional.

What tracker domains does Bird use?

ConsentStack has catalogued tracker domains for Bird including bird.com and messagebird.com. These are the network destinations Bird's scripts contact, which a consent platform blocks until a visitor agrees.

Bird (messagebird.com) - Cloud Messaging & Privacy Consent Profile

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Overview

Bird (formerly MessageBird, rebranded in 2022) is a cloud communications platform that competes with Twilio and Sinch in the CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service) market. Bird's platform spans email delivery (through its acquisition of SparkPost), SMS and WhatsApp messaging, voice calls, and conversational chat. On websites, Bird's presence typically manifests as chat widgets for customer support and email tracking pixels for marketing campaigns.

What This Script Does

Bird's client-side scripts serve two distinct functions with different privacy implications:

Chat Widgets (Functional)

Bird's conversational inbox can embed a chat widget on websites for customer support:

Renders a chat interface (typically in the bottom-right corner)
Supports live agent conversations, chatbot flows, and WhatsApp handoff
Maintains conversation history across page navigations within a session

Chat-related cookies:

bird_session — session cookie maintaining the active conversation state
bird_contact — persistent cookie (variable duration) identifying returning visitors to restore previous conversation context

Email Tracking Pixels (Marketing)

When emails sent through Bird's platform (formerly SparkPost) are opened, a tracking pixel fires back to Bird's servers. If the email contains links to the website, Bird may set cookies to:

_bird_track — links the email recipient to their website browsing session
Attribute website conversions back to specific email campaigns
Track which email recipients visited which pages after clicking through

Data Collection

The chat widget collects conversation content, visitor identification (name, email if provided), and basic device information. The email tracking component collects email open events, link click events, and post-click browsing behavior on the website.

Scripts communicate with Bird's API endpoints across several domains including api.bird.com and tracking domains related to the SparkPost infrastructure.

Consent & Compliance

Bird is classified as functional and marketing. This dual classification reflects the distinct nature of its two client-side functions:

The chat widget serves a functional purpose (customer support) and its session cookies are necessary for the service the user initiates
The email tracking pixels and cross-channel attribution cookies serve marketing purposes and require consent

Under GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive, the chat widget's session management cookies may be exempt as functionally necessary when the user initiates a conversation. However, the email tracking pixels and attribution cookies require explicit consent as they serve the website operator's marketing objectives.

Under CCPA/CPRA, the email tracking and cross-channel attribution may constitute "sharing" personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising, particularly when email engagement data is linked to website browsing behavior. The chat widget's data processing serves a customer service business purpose.

Should You Block This Without Consent?

Conditional. Bird's chat widget functionality can operate without consent as it serves a functional customer support purpose. However, the email tracking pixels and campaign attribution cookies should be blocked until the user consents to marketing cookies. If your Bird integration is limited to the chat widget without email tracking, it can be classified as functional only. If email attribution tracking is active, the marketing classification applies and consent is required.

Is Bird GDPR compliant?

Bird typically loads functional and marketing trackers, which are not strictly necessary for your site to work. Under the GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive, non-essential cookies and trackers must stay blocked until a visitor gives clear opt-in consent. So Bird can be fully GDPR compliant, but only if your site holds its scripts until consent is granted and lets visitors decline just as easily. Compliance depends on how your site loads Bird, not on Bird itself.

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