Merlin Bird ID

A comprehensive bird identification app utilizing photos, sounds, and location data to help users recognize bird species worldwide.

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About Merlin Bird ID

Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab is a versatile app designed for bird enthusiasts of all skill levels to identify birds across multiple continents including the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. It offers diverse identification methods such as answering simple questions, uploading photos, recording bird songs, and exploring regional bird lists. Powered by eBird, the world's largest bird sighting database, Merlin provides expert identification tips, detailed range maps, photos, and sounds to enhance your birding experience. Users can also log sightings and contribute data to the global eBird community.

How to Use

Identify birds with Merlin Bird ID by answering quick questions, uploading photos, recording bird songs, or exploring local bird species. The app tailors bird lists based on your location and allows you to log and track your sightings efficiently.

Features

Sound ID: Recognizes bird species through their calls and songs.

Step-by-step Identification: Guides you with simple questions to find matches.

Explore Birds: Displays likely regional bird species based on your location.

Photo ID: Uses advanced deep learning to identify birds from photos.

Use Cases

Learning about diverse bird species, their calls, and habitats.

Identifying unfamiliar birds seen or heard during outdoor activities.

Tracking bird sightings and contributing data to citizen science platforms like eBird.

Enhancing birding skills with expert tips and customized regional bird lists.

Best For

Bird watchersNature educatorsBeginner birdersExperienced birdersCitizen scientists

Pros

Provides expert guidance and detailed bird information.

Free to download and use.

Supports multiple languages for global accessibility.

Regular updates driven by user contributions.

Integrated with extensive bird sighting and sound database.

Supports various identification methods for accuracy.

Cons

Identification accuracy depends on photo and audio quality.

Photo and sound recognition may sometimes produce incorrect results.

Effectiveness varies based on location and available data.

May not identify every bird species accurately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about Merlin Bird ID

How accurate is Merlin Bird ID?

Merlin Bird ID leverages eBird's extensive data and machine learning to identify birds from photos and sounds. While generally reliable, some misidentifications can occur. User feedback helps improve its accuracy over time.

Is Merlin Bird ID a free app?

Yes, Merlin Bird ID is completely free to download and use, developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Which languages does Merlin Bird ID support?

The app is available in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, and more.

How can I contribute to improving Merlin Bird ID?

You can help by submitting bird recordings and photos, providing feedback on identifications, and reporting any inaccuracies to enhance the app's database.

Does Merlin Bird ID work offline?

Yes, Merlin offers offline access to certain features like regional bird lists and identification tools, making it useful in remote locations.