Photo: A Merlin is perched in a tree at East Potomac Park in Washington, D.C. Taken by Mr. Chirpy
Merlin (the application, not the bird!) has proven invaluable, especially for the beginning birder like me. When I started birding, I would use the sound ID feature on my Merlin app, get an idea of the birds around me, and then try to spot and recognize them. A few weeks of doing that, and I could quickly identify species by ear. I still use the sound ID feature every time I go birding.
Tips for using Merlin:
- Download the relevant bird packs. Open the app, select “Settings” in the lower right corner, then “Bird Packs”. Search for your region or select the “Recommended” tab to see what Merlin recommends you download.
- Update your location. Merlin suggests the most likely birds based on a given location. When you log into the app, select “Explore” from the bottom, then click the 3 lines in the top right corner. Select “Location” and either “Current Location” or search by place or zip code.
- Utilize different identification methods. Once you have your location and bird packs squared away, it’s time to start identifying! You can do 3 types of ID:
- Sound ID: When you select sound ID, Merlin will start listening for birds in your area. Upon detection, relevant matches will display. Save recording with the “Stop” button, or discard the recording with the “Cancel” button. I usually let Merlin run for a few minutes, hit discard, and then start it over. This way I don’t take up a lot of space on my phone with recording. Access your recordings by selecting “My Sound Recordings” on the main menu of the app.
- Step-by-Step ID: Use this if you spotted a bird but don’t have a photo or sound. Answer five prompts tailored to your observations and Merlin will generate a curated list of potential matches.
- Photo ID: This is a great tool if you have a photo of the bird you’re trying to identify. Select “Photo ID” and either take a photo or upload an existing one. Merlin will give you a list of potential birds based on the photo.
- Report your findings. Following identification, you can report your findings. Simply select “Report your bird” if this was an incidental finding. For comprehensive observations during longer birding outings, consider integrating them into a detailed eBird checklist. More on that in a later post!
Are you stuck? Check out these FAQs on the eBird website!