Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

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4.9

bird

birds

merlin

birding

birders

sightings

ebird

identify

identification

magic

recognize

observations

seen

mystery

explore

ornithology

find

database

nature

maps

Price	Free
Version	3.0
Category	Books & Reference
Developer	Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Update Time	2023-07-05
Installs	1,000,000+

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About this app

What's that bird? Ask Merlin—the world’s leading app for birds. Just like magic, Merlin Bird ID will help you solve the mystery. Merlin Bird ID helps you identify birds you see and hear. Merlin is unlike any other bird app—it's powered by eBird, the world’s largest database of bird sightings, sounds, and photos. Merlin offers four fun ways to identify birds. Answer a few simple questions, upload a photo, record a singing bird, or explore birds in a region. Whether you’re curious about a bird you’ve seen once or you’re hoping to identify every bird you can find, the answers are waiting for you with this free app from the renowned Cornell Lab of Ornithology. WHY YOU’LL LOVE MERLIN • Expert ID tips, range maps, photos, and sounds help you learn about the birds you spot and build birding skills. • Customized lists of birds to find where you live or travel • Merlin was created by bird experts for everyone. • Merlin is global—look up any bird at any location. • Keep track of your sightings—linked to eBird, a global database of more than 1 billion bird observations! MACHINE LEARNING MAGIC • Powered by Visipedia, Merlin Sound ID and Photo ID uses deep learning to identify birds in photos and sounds. Merlin learns to recognize bird species based on training sets of millions of photos and sounds collected by birders at eBird.org, archived in the Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. • Merlin delivers the most accurate results thanks to experienced birders, who curate and annotate sightings, photos, and sounds, who are the true magic behind Merlin. AMAZING CONTENT • Choose bird packs that contain photos, songs, and calls, and identification help for anywhere in the world, including Mexico, Costa Rica, South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, India, Australia, Korea, Japan, China, and more. • It’s available in your language. Merlin is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Hebrew, German, Japanese, Korean, Turkish, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s goal is to help you and millions of others to learn about birds. Our nonprofit mission to improve the understanding and protection of birds and nature is made possible by the generosity of Cornell Lab members, supporters, and citizen-science contributors.

App Review

Features:

Merlin Bird ID is a bird identification app developed by Cornell Lab, which offers a range of impressive features for bird enthusiasts:

Instant Identification: The app can identify over 6,000 bird species by using your input such as location, date, and bird characteristics.
Bird Song Recognition: Merlin Bird ID can identify birds just by their songs or calls, creating an immersive experience for users.
Personalized Results: Users can create personalized species lists, helping them keep track of the birds they have seen and identify the ones they are yet to encounter.
Photo Uploads: The app allows users to upload their own bird photos, contributing to Cornell Lab's research and increasing the accuracy of future identifications.

Usability:

Merlin Bird ID excels in terms of usability, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced birders:

Simplified Interface: The app's intuitive interface guides users through the identification process, allowing them to easily select relevant criteria.
Location-based Suggestions: Merlin Bird ID suggests likely bird species based on the user's location, simplifying the identification process for those unsure of the local bird population.
User-friendly Features: The app provides clear explanations and helpful tips at each stage of identification, making it easy for beginners to learn about different bird characteristics.

Design:

Cornell Lab has paid considerable attention to the app's design, creating a visually appealing and user-friendly experience:

Modern and Clean: Merlin Bird ID showcases a modern and clean design, making it visually attractive and enjoyable to use.
Clear Navigation: The app's well-organized navigation menu facilitates easy access to different features and settings.
Iconography: The app employs intuitive iconography to guide users through different functions, ensuring a seamless experience.

Pros:

Wide bird species database, facilitating accurate identification
Excellent bird song recognition feature enhances immersive birding experience
Personalized species lists assist users in organizing their bird sightings
Photo uploads contribute to bird research and accuracy of future identifications
Simplified interface and location-based suggestions make it ideal for beginners

Cons:

Limited offline functionality, which can be inconvenient in areas with poor internet connectivity
Some rare bird species may not be included in the database
Photo identification feature may occasionally provide inaccurate results

In conclusion, Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab is an exceptional bird identification app, offering a wide range of features presented through an elegant and user-friendly design. Its accuracy, immersive experience, and personalization options make it an invaluable tool for bird enthusiasts. Though it may have some minor drawbacks, the app's overall performance and ease of use make it well worth a download for both novice and experienced birders.

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