The Magical Powers of the Sound ID Feature of the Merlin Bird ID App
While hiking and photographing birds in Essex Park near home this spring, I texted my friend Dave in Florida. He and his wife had recently gotten hooked on watching birds, so I asked him how their new hobby was going. He replied that they love it and that the Sound ID feature of the Merlin Bird ID smartphone app was a gamechanger for them.
Dave was not the first person who raved to me about the wonders of the Sound ID feature. But I was skeptical of its utility because I couldn’t imagine that the measly microphone on my smartphone could pick up the songs of a bird well enough.
Boy, was I wrong. While still exchanging texts with Dave, I turned on Sound ID. Within seconds, it had identified several birds whose faint voices it picked up nearby.
I was hooked. Since that day, I use the Sound ID feature of Merlin Bird ID on every hike. It has helped me to identify birds I wouldn’t have noticed or been able to identify otherwise.
To get started with Merlin Bird ID, download it from the app store. Then, use the app in four ways to identify birds:
Use a menu system to select the location, date, size, color, and habitat of the bird you have seen. The app will present photos, names, and descriptions of possible matching birds.
Use Photo ID to upload a photo of a bird. Like the menu system feature, Merlin will return a list of possible matching birds.
Use Sound ID to record the sounds of the birds around you. Merlin will immediately return photos and names of birds that closely match the sound patterns.
Use Explore Birds to view photos and names of birds expected to be in your location…
0 Comments