Merlin Bird ID (iOS & Android)
Free
8.7
Pros
- now with Photo ID
- answer basic questions to identify over 500 species
- uses your device's location to tell you what's nearby
- excellent photos, text, and maps
- great FREE guide for beginning and intermediate birders
Cons
- not all species covered
The Best Birding Apps And Field GuidesAugust 04, 2015“Amazing app for beginning and intermediate birders that asks you five questions to help identify over 400 common North American birds: Where were you? When did you see it? About how big was it (relative to other birds)? What were the main colors? And what was it doing? Provides photos and descriptions of matching bird species based on this information and is surprisingly accurate.”Zach Slavin (Audubon)
Publisher’s Description:
What's that bird? Merlin Bird ID helps you solve the mystery in 5 questions.
First, Merlin asks you a few simple questions. Then, almost like magic, it reveals the list of birds that best match your description. Pick your bird, then delve into more photos, sounds, and ID tips about your bird!
If you have a photo, Merlin can help there as well. Take a photo, or choose one from your photo gallery, and Merlin will offer a list of birds that best match your photo.
Merlin is fun and easy to use—whether you’re curious about a bird you’ve seen once or you’re hoping to identify every bird that comes to your feeder. The answers are waiting for you with this free app from the renowned Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Features
- NEW - Merlin will now identify a photo. Select your photo, tell Merlin where and when you took it, and you'll see a short list of suggested identifications.
- Download bird packs containing the species of your region, reducing the app size.
- Created for beginning and intermediate bird watchers, Merlin identifies the 400 most common bird species in the United States and Canada (excluding Hawaii).
- Intelligent results. No more scanning through hundreds of possibilities! Merlin shows the birds near you that fit your description.
- Customized location and date tools generate best answers for your neighborhood and time of year.
- Powered by eBird to deliver the most accurate results based on millions of sightings from bird watchers across North America.
- Enjoy more than 1,000 photos of birds, including males, females, and juveniles.
- Learn ID tips from Cornell Lab of Ornithology experts.
- Listen to beautiful bird songs and calls from the Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
- It’s all free! The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s goal is to help you and millions of others to learn about birds.
Putting Merlin’s New Bird Photo ID Tool to the TestDecember 20, 2016“My takeaway: Merlin Photo ID is helpful in identifying birds—or at least narrowing down possibilities—as long as you have a clear, well-lit, not-too-busy, decently close-up photo to give it. It isn’t a prodigy just yet, but it might just grow up to be a genius. Download the Merlin app (for free!) and enjoy.”
Nicholas Lund (Audubon)