Merlin Bird ID

Free global bird guide with photos, sounds, maps, and more.

Free

Description

Merlin Bird ID is a comprehensive application designed to assist bird watchers and outdoor enthusiasts of all levels in identifying birds across the globe. It offers multiple identification pathways: a step-by-step Bird ID Wizard that suggests matches based on user answers to simple questions, a Sound ID feature that listens to bird songs and calls in real-time, and a Photo ID tool that identifies birds from images. These identification tools are enhanced by offline capabilities for Sound ID and Photo ID, ensuring functionality even without an internet connection.

Powered by eBird and enriched with community-contributed media and expert tips from around the world, Merlin provides access to a vast database of photos, sounds, and range maps from Birds of the World. Users can also build a digital scrapbook of their birding memories by saving identified birds to a personal life list and explore custom lists of birds likely to be found in specific locations or at certain times of the year, thanks to billions of bird observations submitted to eBird.

Key Features

Bird ID Wizard: Step-by-step identification by answering three simple questions about an observed bird.
Sound ID: Real-time identification of bird songs and calls, showing suggestions for who’s singing, and works completely offline.
Photo ID: Identifies birds from user-snapped photos or camera roll images, offering a short list of possible matches, and works completely offline.
Save My Bird: Allows users to add identified birds to a personal, growing life list, building a digital scrapbook of birding memories.
Explore Lists of Birds Near You: Generates custom lists of birds likely to be spotted in specific locations and times of year, powered by eBird.
Offline Functionality: Core identification features like Sound ID and Photo ID work without an internet connection.
Global Bird Guide: Offers quick identification help for birds in any country, leveraging photos, sounds, maps, and expert tips.

Use Cases

Identifying unknown birds by answering descriptive questions about their appearance and behavior.
Recognizing bird species based on their live songs or calls in the field.
Identifying birds captured in photographs taken by the user.
Learning about bird species present in various global locations and different times of the year.
Creating and maintaining a personal log (life list) of bird sightings and discoveries.
Assisting beginners and experienced birders in field identification and learning.