You notice a bird and want to know its name.
There are many advanced apps in the Play Store and App Store that help identify birds. They are easy to operate as it identifies birds as soon as they record their chirps and whistles. Luckily, most of these are free or minimal cost.
6 Best Apps To Identify Birds
After deep research I found these below mentioned 6 apps that help you find out more about a bird.
eBird Mobile
eBird is one of the best bird identification apps of all time. It identifies different species of birds with its pictures, chirps and songs, and sightings. Other than just identifying them, it also allows the user to keep a list of birds identified using the app.
The most interesting feature is that it records audio and saves photographs offline. Once the phone starts receiving Wi-Fi signals or mobile data, it can identify the recorded audio and pictures. All it requires is the user to open an account in the app.
Merlin
Unlike most bird identification apps, Merlin has a different approach. For a higher level of accuracy, it asks a few questions about the sighted bird to the user.
It is one of the rare apps that has an accuracy level of above 90%. It asks questions about the color, size, activities, and the location where you found the bird. Then finally, it will present three possibilities with detailed pictures for you to confirm its identity.
Its latest feature also involves identifying birds with their pictures. The users can either upload the bird’s picture from the camera roll or take a live snap. The most interesting part is that the feature works offline. Thus, it is a good option if you’re in an area without network coverage.
Audubon Birds
It is one of the fastest applications available in e-stores. Searching a bird with a short recording of its songs and calls has never been easier. Secondly, it shows few possibilities of its species to compare them with other species and distinguish between them.
The app also has a tool known as ID Bird. An incomplete photo of a bird is used to identify it. You can recognize birds by their tail form or color, for example. Clear details in the picture provide a smaller list of possibilities.
Song Sleuth
The specialty of this app involves identifying birds using only bird songs. The accuracy level of this app is above 80%. It listens to the bird carefully and lists only three possibilities by searching amongst two hundred North American common bird species.
Using the list, you can match the song of the birds in the suggestions to confirm its identity. Thanks to its editing tools, the bird songs in the suggestion list will be free of unwanted background noise so that it is easy for the user to identify. Once the name of the bird is confirmed by the user, it will provide all the important information about the bird.
iBird Pro
In iBird Pro, a user can search a bird by selecting its features. It has 35 different features for identifying birds. It lets the user select its primary and secondary colors, shape, size, breed, calls, and songs. Users also have an option to select the location of the bird and its habitat.
It presents the possibilities of birds with 3D pictures consisting of clear details and features. Sometimes, the illustrations are also hand-drawn, which makes the identifying process more convenient. Additionally, it also includes professional photographs of the birds, their voice, and habitats.
National Geographic Birds
The fast speed is one of the best features of this app. It has a neat layout, unlike most bird identification apps, and is easy to use. It requires bird songs and clear photographs of the birds to identify them.
Sometimes, it may not need bird songs; just clips of the bird voice will do the job. When bird calls and songs are recorded, it will represent up to three possible results.
On the other hand, clear images of the bird help it identify better. It shows only one possible species, which is accurate almost all the time. To show the usual habitat of the bird, it also presents maps that cover a wide range.
Are All Bird Identification Apps Free of Cost?
All the bird applications are not free of cost. There are many bird identification apps in the Play Store and App Store that charge a user. It is when opening an account in the app or when installing it. It may stop a user from enjoying the benefits of all the bird identification apps.
However, it will still depend on the app. Some of the good apps are free of cost while others require up to $20.
An app known as iBird Yard requires $5 on PlayStation and $3 on App Store. It stores the data of the birds with the help of iBird Cloud Sync backup. It uses a significant part of its backup memory space, which justifies its price.
Another app called BirdSong ID also charges a price for installing. It is available on both Play Store and App Store at $5. The users need to pay as it does not need a Wi-Fi connection or mobile data to identify a bird. The app automatically downloads all the bird songs and calls after installation; this helps aid its Automatic Recognition feature.
Sibley Birds Second Edition app costs $20 on both app installation platforms. Like most paid apps, it also has a backup service. It has recordings of about 2700 bird calls and songs for having high levels of accuracy. The app also carries information about 930 North American bird species; it includes details and features about the identified birds.
Collins Bird Guide app is found in the App Store for $15, while it is $17 in the Play Store. It identifies birds with the help of books written by famous authors. Having a powerful and fast search option lets the users go through thousands of information about birds with illustrations. Additionally, it also identifies through text, images, and maps by shortlisting some birds.
Nevertheless, some popular bird identification apps such as the Audubon Bird Guide, Merlin, eBird, Song Sleuth, Raptor ID, and BirdsEye are free of cost. Installing and using the free features will not cost the user, but there’s a catch.
There are paid subscriptions in such free apps. The paid version will let the user have access to many other features. For example, the BirdsEye app will give the user access to search and identify amongst all the bird species in the region. Thus, there is always an option to pay in such apps.
Gone are the days of carrying big old field guides while birding. Apps have made bird identification easier than ever.
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