tech
December 27, 2025
‘It brings you closer to the natural world’: the rise of the Merlin birdsong identifying app
Merlin has been trained to identify the songs of more than 1,300 bird species around the world
TL;DR
- Merlin Bird ID is a free app that identifies bird species by their songs using AI and machine learning.
- The app has seen a significant increase in users, particularly in Britain, with over 1.5 million users in 2024.
- Merlin has been trained to recognize the songs of over 1,300 bird species worldwide.
- Users report that the app has aided their learning process and helped them connect with nature.
- The app is not flawless and has been known to misidentify birds, sometimes detecting species not present in the local region.
- Some experts worry that the app might discourage users from actively learning bird identification themselves.
- Merlin is recognized for its positive impact on mental health by encouraging people to spend time outdoors and engage with nature.
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