Merlin Bird ID is a free app that helps you identify birds you see and hear. Unlike other bird apps, Merlin is powered by eBird, the world’s largest database of bird sightings, sounds, and photos. With four fun ways to identify birds, you can answer a few simple questions, upload a photo, record a singing bird, or explore birds in a region. Merlin offers expert ID tips, range maps, photos, and sounds to help you learn about the birds you spot and build birding skills. You can also keep track of your sightings, linked to eBird, a global database of more than 1 billion bird observations.

Merlin Sound ID and Photo ID uses deep learning to identify birds in photos and sounds. Merlin learns to recognize bird species based on training sets of millions of photos and sounds collected by birders at eBird.org, archived in the Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Merlin delivers the most accurate results thanks to experienced birders, who curate and annotate sightings, photos, and sounds, who are the true magic behind Merlin. Merlin is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Hebrew, German, Japanese, Korean, Turkish, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s goal is to help you and millions of others to learn about birds. Our nonprofit mission to improve the understanding and protection of birds and nature is made possible by the generosity of Cornell Lab members, supporters, and citizen-science contributors. Choose bird packs that contain photos, songs, and calls, and identification help for anywhere in the world, including Mexico, Costa Rica, South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, India, Australia, Korea, Japan, China, and more. Merlin was created by bird experts for everyone, and it is global—look up any bird at any location.