Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab icon

Merlin Bird ID: Identify Birds

by Cornell Lab of Ornithology

4.9
ANDROIDBooks & Reference

Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab is your go-to app for identifying birds by sight and sound. Powered by eBird, it uses machine learning to provide expert ID tips, making bird identification accessible to everyone.

About Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab

Merlin Bird ID is like having a pocket-sized ornithologist. Developed by the Cornell Lab, this app helps you identify birds using a variety of methods. You can answer a few simple questions about a bird you saw, upload a photo, or even record its song. The app then uses its vast database of bird sightings, sounds, and photos to suggest possible matches. It's powered by eBird, which means it has access to an enormous amount of data collected by bird enthusiasts around the world. The machine learning magic behind Merlin is truly impressive. It learns to recognize bird species based on millions of photos and sounds. Whether you're a seasoned birder or just curious about the birds in your backyard, Merlin has something to offer. You can even get customized lists of birds you can find where you live or travel. It's a fantastic way to learn more about the natural world and build your birding skills. Plus, the app is free, thanks to the generosity of Cornell Lab members and citizen-science contributors. With expert ID tips, range maps, photos, and sounds, you'll be identifying bird songs in no time. It's a beautifully designed app that makes learning about birds fun and engaging.

Key Features

  • Identify birds by answering simple questions
  • Identify birds from photos using machine learning
  • Record bird songs to identify them automatically

Why Users Love It

Offers multiple ways to identify birds
Provides expert tips and detailed information
Great app for identifying birds in your backyard or when you're traveling – makes birdwatching accessible and fun!

Perfect for: Perfect for anyone who loves nature, birdwatching, or learning new things.

Screenshots

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Ranking History

Category #45

7/17/2025

#11

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7/16/2025

#10

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7/15/2025

#6

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7/14/2025

#7

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7/13/2025

#9

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7/12/2025

#8

Category #45

7/11/2025

#8

Category #45

7/9/2025

#5

Category #45

7/8/2025

#4

User Reviews

Northmelody
7/7/2025

Amazing for someone who just started, love recording and listening back and have already started recognizing the songs in my area :)

Adam Jensen
7/7/2025

This app got me into birdwatching! The sound ID is the coolest tool to have on walks, my appreciation of the nature around me has increased tenfold thanks to Merlin

Laura Walter
7/7/2025

This app has helped me to learn and remember bird sounds better than anything I had ever tried before.

Kevin
7/7/2025

The perfect app for identifying bird calls! I love that it shows all the birds making their calls actively as it listens. Great for when multiple birds are present. When every other app out there is asking for subscriptions, it's refreshing to see high quality apps like this that don't. Definitely worth a donation if you enjoy it

Erin King
7/7/2025

Amazing app that I have used for years on 3 different continents, the sound ID is extremely useful. Step by Step ID is not very helpful in my opinion if you are looking at species with only slight variations between them like some sparrows, but for a general audience it does narrow it down quite well. We use the sound ID to help with field surveys where there is less visibility of individuals calling, and it is great!

App Details

Developer

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Platform

android

Rating

4.9

Last Updated

7/8/2025