Working together in your birding toolbox
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Merlin
This terrific app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology helps you identify birds. Use it whenever you are actively birding to identify birds visually or by sound.
Benefits: Free, mobile
How it works: Uses machine learning algorithm trained on visual spectrograms of 3-second sound clips from the Macaulay Library; updated with input from the community (read more here). Human needs to be actively birding to turn it on, does not provide alerts, does not parse, aggregate or share bird identification data.
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Haikubox
This plug-in device passively listens for and records bird songs and calls. Use the app or website at any time/place to hear bird recordings & receive alerts.
Benefits: Works 24/7 to provide bird recordings, species alerts and data summaries
How it works: Uses BirdNET for Haikubox machine learning algorithm trained on visual spectrograms of 3-second sound clips; updated with input from Haikubox owners. Mobile app/website shares real-time bird identifications and recordings while maintaining historical records.
