Monitoring WhatsApp channel health

Bird runs periodic health checks against your WhatsApp channel configuration and updates the channel's status whenever something changes. You can react to those changes in two ways:

Webhooks — receive a channel.updated event pushed to your endpoint as soon as the status changes
Check API — poll or trigger a check on demand and get structured diagnostic results including per-assertion detail

Common use cases:

Alert your team when a channel transitions to warning or inactive
Surface health details in an operations dashboard
Diagnose the root cause of a status change (quality score, token expiry, etc.)

Prerequisites

To subscribe to webhooks you need a workspace access key with the webhooks:write permission. See Authentication for details.

The Check API uses the connector ID, not the channel ID. You can find the connector ID on your channel's detail page or in the connectorId field of any channel webhook payload.

Channel health webhooks

Bird runs a health check on each WhatsApp channel on a regular schedule. When the result differs from the current status, the channel is updated and a channel.updated webhook fires.

Exemple de code

Health check runs
  → assertions evaluated against Meta Graph API
  → channel status updated if changed
    → channel.updated webhook delivered to all matching subscriptions

The webhook carries the current channel object. It does not include the previous status or the individual assertion results that caused the transition — use the Check API to retrieve those.

Subscribing

Subscribe once per workspace. Use the channelStatus event filter to limit delivery to specific status values.

Exemple de code

curl -X POST https://api.bird.com/workspaces/{workspaceId}/webhooks \
  -H "Authorization: AccessKey {accessKey}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "service": "channels",
    "event": "channel.updated",
    "url": "{{webhook_url}}",
    "signingKey": "{{signing_key}}",
    "eventFilters": [
      { "key": "platformId", "value": "whatsapp" }
    ]
  }'

Exemple de code

curl -X POST https://api.bird.com/workspaces/{workspaceId}/webhooks \
  -H "Authorization: AccessKey {accessKey}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "service": "channels",
    "event": "channel.updated",
    "url": "{{webhook_url}}",
    "signingKey": "{{signing_key}}",
    "eventFilters": [
      { "key": "platformId", "value": "whatsapp" },
      { "key": "channelStatus", "value": "warning" }
    ]
  }'

You can create multiple subscriptions with different channelStatus filters to route degradation and recovery alerts to different endpoints.

Webhook payload

Exemple de code

{
  "service": "channels",
  "event": "channel.updated",
  "payload": {
    "id": "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
    "status": "warning",
    "platformId": "whatsapp",
    "name": "My WhatsApp Channel",
    "connectorId": "f9e8d7c6-b5a4-3210-fedc-ba9876543210",
    "identifier": "+15551234567",
    "transactional": false,
    "preferences": {
      "disableProfileFetching": false,
      "explicitMarketingOptOut": false,
      "trackAdInitiatedThreads": false,
      "ignoreSuppressionChecks": false,
      "isPrivate": false,
      "disallowMmLite": false
    },
    "connectionParams": [],
    "settings": [],
    "capabilities": {},
    "createdAt": "2026-01-15T09:00:00Z",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-26T14:32:00Z"
  }
}

Payload fields

Field	Type	Description
service	string	Always "channels"
event	string	Always "channel.updated"
payload.id	UUID	Channel ID
payload.status	string	New channel status — see Status values
payload.platformId	string	Always "whatsapp"
payload.connectorId	UUID	Use this with the Check API
payload.identifier	string	Phone number in E.164 format
payload.updatedAt	ISO 8601	Timestamp of this status change

Status values

Status	Meaning	Action
active	All health checks passing	No action needed
warning	One or more checks failing	Inspect via the Check API
inactive	WhatsApp subscription cancelled	Re-subscribe or delete the channel
setting-up	Provisioning in progress	Wait — another webhook fires on completion
failed	Provisioning failed	Check connector configuration

The webhook does not include the previous status or which check failed. Compare payload.status against your own last-known state, or call the Check API, to determine whether this is a degradation or a recovery.

What triggers a warning

A single failing assertion is enough to change the channel status to warning.

Access

Condition	Detail
System user token invalid or expired	Meta returns 401 on WABA fetch
WABA not found or permissions removed	WABA ID invalid or app removed from Business Manager
Unexpected Meta API error	Includes non-timeout network failures
App not subscribed to WABA	Bird app unsubscribed from WABA webhooks
Phone number not found in WABA	Phone removed from WABA or permissions revoked
Phone number not accessible	Phone exists in WABA but cannot be fetched

Phone number

Condition	Detail
Phone status BANNED	Number banned by WhatsApp
Phone status DELETED	Number deleted from WhatsApp Business Manager
Phone status MIGRATED	Number moved to a different WABA
Phone status DISCONNECTED	Number cannot be registered
Phone status UNVERIFIED	Number not verified
Phone status UNKNOWN	Status indeterminate from Meta
Phone status RATE_LIMITED	Number is rate limited
Phone status PENDING	Registration pending
Code verification EXPIRED or NOT_VERIFIED	Verification code expired or not completed
Display name DECLINED, PENDING_REVIEW, or EXPIRED	Name review in a non-approved state
Display name NON_EXISTS	No display name set
Quality score YELLOW	Moderate user feedback signals
Quality score RED	Poor user feedback — messaging limits may apply
Business verification rejected or revoked	Meta Business Account verification failed
Business unverified + messaging tier ≤ TIER_250	Scaling path not completed
Business verification pending_need_more_info	More information required from Meta

What does NOT trigger a warning

Condition	Why
Meta API timeout on phone fetch	Resolves to indeterminate — check skipped, status unchanged
Business verification pending	Resolves to indeterminate — check skipped, status unchanged
Account review status unknown	Resolves to indeterminate — check skipped, status unchanged
WABA inaccessible — dependent assertions	Downstream assertions become indeterminate; only wabaAccess itself triggers warning

Check API

The Check API returns structured diagnostic results with individual assertion names, statuses, and messages. Use it to determine the root cause after receiving a channel.updated webhook.

Bird runs two distinct sets of checks against a WhatsApp channel:

Channel checks — run by the Bird platform on a schedule against the Meta Graph API. These drive the channel status field and fire channel.updated webhooks.
Connector config checks — run on demand via POST /status/checks to validate the connector configuration.

Both appear in checks.results[].

Endpoints

Get current status

Exemple de code

GET /workspaces/{workspaceId}/connectors/{connectorId}/status

Exemple de code

curl https://api.bird.com/workspaces/{workspaceId}/connectors/{connectorId}/status \
  -H "Authorization: AccessKey {accessKey}"

Run a check now

Triggers an immediate check and returns results.

Exemple de code

POST /workspaces/{workspaceId}/connectors/{connectorId}/status/checks

Exemple de code

curl -X POST https://api.bird.com/workspaces/{workspaceId}/connectors/{connectorId}/status/checks \
  -H "Authorization: AccessKey {accessKey}"

Get check history

Exemple de code

GET /workspaces/{workspaceId}/connectors/{connectorId}/status/checks

Returns a paginated list of past check runs.

Example response

Exemple de code

{
  "channel": {
    "channelId": "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
    "platformName": "WhatsApp",
    "status": "error",
    "stage": "active"
  },
  "checks": {
    "runAt": "2026-05-26T14:30:00Z",
    "results": [
      {
        "name": "access",
        "displayName": "Check MessageBird has the required access",
        "status": "error",
        "assertions": [
          {
            "name": "wabaAccess",
            "status": "error",
            "message": "Access to WhatsApp Business Account has been revoked"
          },
          {
            "name": "appSubscribed",
            "status": "indeterminate",
            "message": "Unable to verify app subscription because the WhatsApp Business Account is not accessible"
          },
          {
            "name": "accountReviewStatus",
            "status": "indeterminate",
            "message": "Unable to check account review status because the WhatsApp Business Account is not accessible"
          },
          {
            "name": "businessVerificationStatus",
            "status": "indeterminate",
            "message": "Unable to check business verification status because the WhatsApp Business Account is not accessible"
          },
          {
            "name": "phoneAccess",
            "status": "indeterminate",
            "message": "Unable to check phone number access because the WhatsApp Business Account is not accessible"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "phoneHealth",
        "displayName": "Check phone number health",
        "status": "ok",
        "assertions": [
          {
            "name": "phoneNumberStatus",
            "status": "ok",
            "message": "The phone number is connected in WhatsApp Business Manager."
          },
          {
            "name": "phoneQualityScore",
            "status": "ok",
            "message": "The phone number quality score is high."
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Response fields

Field	Description
checks.runAt	ISO 8601 timestamp of when the check ran
checks.results[].name	Check identifier — see reference below
checks.results[].displayName	Human-readable check name
checks.results[].status	Highest severity across all assertions in this check
checks.results[].assertions[].name	Assertion identifier
checks.results[].assertions[].status	ok, warning, error, or indeterminate
checks.results[].assertions[].message	Human-readable explanation

Assertion status meanings

Status	Channel effect	Meaning
ok	Contributes to active	Assertion passed
warning	Channel → warning	Issue detected, messaging may be affected
error	Channel → warning	Issue detected, messaging likely affected
indeterminate	No change	Could not run — a dependency assertion failed

Both warning and error assertion statuses produce a channel status of warning. The difference is only visible in the assertion detail — use message to understand severity.

Assertion reference

Channel checks

These run on a schedule and drive the channel status field.

Check: access — "Check MessageBird has the required access"

wabaAccess — Access to WABA

Fetches the WhatsApp Business Account from Meta. All other assertions in this check become indeterminate if this fails.

Status	Cause
ok	WABA is accessible
error	Invalid or expired system user token
error	WABA not found or permissions removed
error	Unexpected Meta API error (including network failures)

appSubscribed — App subscribed to WABA

Status	Cause
ok	Bird app is subscribed to the WABA
error	App is not subscribed, or token is invalid
indeterminate	wabaAccess failed — cannot check

accountReviewStatus — Account review status

Meta value	Status
APPROVED	ok
PENDING	error
REJECTED	error
unknown	indeterminate

businessVerificationStatus — Business verification status

Meta value	Messaging tier	Status
verified	any	ok
not_verified	> TIER_250	ok
not_verified	≤ TIER_250	warning
pending_need_more_info	any	warning
pending	any	indeterminate
rejected	any	error
revoked	any	error
unknown	any	indeterminate

phoneAccess — Access to phone number

Status	Cause
ok	Phone number is accessible
error	Phone not found in WABA, or not accessible
error	Invalid or expired system user token
indeterminate	Meta API timed out
indeterminate	wabaAccess failed — cannot check

Check: phoneHealth — "Check phone number health"

All assertions depend on phoneAccess being ok. If phoneAccess is not ok, all assertions here are indeterminate.

phoneNumberStatus — Phone number status

Meta status	Assertion status	Message
CONNECTED	ok	The phone number is connected in WhatsApp Business Manager.
RATE_LIMITED	warning	The phone number is rate limited in WhatsApp.
PENDING	warning	The phone number is pending in WhatsApp Business Manager.
RESTRICTED	warning	WhatsApp 24 hour messaging limit of <tier> reached.
DISCONNECTED	error	The phone number is unable to be registered.
UNVERIFIED	error	The phone number is not verified. Please reinstall or verify.
BANNED	error	The phone number is banned from WhatsApp.
DELETED	error	The phone number has been deleted. Please delete this channel.
MIGRATED	error	Migrated to another WABA. Please delete this channel.
UNKNOWN	error	Status unknown. Please contact support.

When the phone is PENDING and account review is APPROVED, Bird automatically attempts re-registration. When DISCONNECTED with a verified code, Bird also attempts re-registration automatically.

codeVerification — Code verification status

Skipped when phone status is CONNECTED, DELETED, MIGRATED, BANNED, RESTRICTED, or RATE_LIMITED.

Meta value	Status	Message
VERIFIED	ok	The phone number is verified.
EXPIRED	error	Verification expired. Please reinstall or verify the phone number.
NOT_VERIFIED	error	Not verified. Please reinstall or verify the phone number.

currentNameStatus — Current display name status

Skipped when name status is NONE (business verification is pending).

Meta value	Status	Message
APPROVED	ok	The display name is approved.
AVAILABLE_WITHOUT_REVIEW	ok	Ready to use without review.
DECLINED	warning	Display name declined by WhatsApp.
EXPIRED	warning	Display name change expired. Please submit a new request.
PENDING_REVIEW	warning	Display name is pending review.
NON_EXISTS	error	The display name doesn't exist.

newNameStatus — Pending display name change

Only present when a display name change is in progress.

Meta value	Status	Message
APPROVED	ok	No display name changes pending. (Re-registration triggered automatically.)
PENDING_REVIEW	ok	The new display name is pending review.
AVAILABLE_WITHOUT_REVIEW	warning	Business verification must be completed to start name change review.
DECLINED	error	New display name declined. Please submit a new request.
EXPIRED	error	New display name expired. Please submit a new request.

phoneQualityScore — Quality score

Skipped for phone status PENDING, DELETED, MIGRATED, BANNED, UNKNOWN, or UNVERIFIED.

Meta value	Status	Message
GREEN	ok	Quality score is high.
YELLOW	warning	Quality score is medium.
RED	error	Quality score is low.

Connector config checks

These run when you call POST /status/checks or use the Run Check button in the Bird dashboard. They do not directly change the channel status.

Check: webhooksSubscription — "Check webhooks subscription"

Assertion	Status	When it fails
Access token valid	ok, error	Meta returns a status other than 200 or 403
Subscribed ok	ok, error	Meta returns 200 but success is false

Check: checkPhoneStatus — "Check phone status"

Assertion	Status	When it fails
Access token valid	ok, error	Meta returns status ≠ 200
Quality score is GREEN	ok, error	quality_score.score ≠ GREEN
Number connected	ok, error	status ≠ CONNECTED

Assertion	Status	When it fails
Access token valid	ok, error	Meta returns 401
Messaging product enabled	ok, error	messaging_product ≠ "whatsapp"

A fourth check, checkNameStatus, runs only as a precondition during connector installation to verify the access token can read the phone's name status. It does not appear in ongoing check results.