What's that bird? Merlin Bird ID app works magic

The free app, hatched by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, can help birders identify more than 6,000 species on six continents by look or song. "Sunday Morning" producer Roman Feeser reports.
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[@patrickleitgeb]

This is a great app. I use it almost every day. I’ve learned so much about the birds near my house since working from home the last few years.

[@LindaC616]

Do you have to search for a song that's like the one you're hearing? I still have trouble with that. I want to identify that bird with the red color-shifting head near the end! Edit: some kind of hummingbird, I know. But that color change!

[@patrickleitgeb]

If you’re having trouble with identifying a bird during a live recording it may because the sound is not loud enough to identify it properly. I believe that hummingbird at the end is an Anna’s Hummingbird but I’m not positive.

[@ElizabethT45]

I've been wishing for an app like this for years. It will be a fun Spring!

[@MegInWhispers]

as someone who uses and loves Merlin: I've deleted most social media apps and decreased time spent looking at my phone substantially, thanks in part to birding

[@mrd.808]

Perfect host, I enjoyed her smile when she talks

[@tomblack8466]

Love the app! Its a must for young and old! So hopefull and useful to identify birds. Its fun!

[@mollyschmidt5773]

I love this app for birding. It’s well Iaid out and easy to use.

[@jeanetteschock4744]

Been looking for something like this. Thank you

[@milemarker301]

Never heard of this app, but downloading right now. Yay!

[@caroleenolyn5400]

Just downloaded!

[@marchawkins6904]

When did Melissa McCarthy become such an expert on birds? Am I the only one?

[@JustFaith.05]

😂

[@josephlongfellow1244]

"Birds are the canary in the coal mine."

[@Chamelionroses]

Interesting about the migration patterns.

[@mariumrajah]

Garden Warbler Reed Warbler Blackcap, Greater Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, I managed to list these species from this App.

[@frankcarter1318]

3:05 pm

[@gus473]

Yes, it's a nice bit of software. Although I have made more bird IDs with Google Lens! Super simple, doesn't seem to slow down my phone.... 🕊️😎

[@MargaretTovrea]

Roman Freeser -- please correct your pronunciation of ornithology: or - ni - thol - o - gy.

[@JohnDoe-xu2vx]

Cool idea but another reason for people to walk around clutching their phones

[@MegInWhispers]

as someone who uses and loves Merlin: I've deleted most social media apps and decreased time spent looking at my phone substantially, thanks in part to birding

[@Chamelionroses]

Adverts have channels, are a show, and are everywhere. Ok a useful app to some as long as it stays updated maybe. Some say playing bird songs around birds ... disrupts things so it is controversial for that.

[@masterimbecile]

The sound ID feature is sooooo useful!! Probably my most used feature of the app. I mean, how the heck am I supposed to take a useful picture with my phone when they’re hiding on top of a tree?! Not a sound engineer, but it seems to me the sound ID feature gets completely drowned out by even small amount of low-frequency background noise; light traffic 5 miles away or a light breeze and the app is done for.

[@rridderbusch518]

It's pronounced *or-NITH-ology,* not *or-INTH-ology.* dude!

[@philoctetes_wordsworth]

HOW DARE YOU. I CRY DAILY, DUE TO MY COMPREHENSION OF WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THIS PLANET, AND THE FLORA AND FAUNA HEREIN. HOW DARE YOU OFFER ME A HAPPY STORY ABOUT AN APPLICATION THAT IDENTIFIES BIRDS, AND THEN HIT ME WITH SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF HOW HUMANS HAVE MURDERED OUR ONLY HOME, AND EVERYTHING LIVING ON IT. HOW DARE YOU!!!

[@LMNevada]

Hey this is not free🥹