Android Candy: That App Is for the Birds!

Usually bird-related apps involve pigs and anger, but if you're a bird watcher like myself, there's another bird app you must download. Cornell Labs has released a free app called Merlin Bird ID that helps identify birds you see in the wild.

(Image from Google Play Store)

Hundreds of books are available to help you figure out what sort of bird you're looking at, but Merlin uses several metrics to narrow down the feathery mystery. It uses:

  • Size.

  • Color(s).

  • Geographic location (via GPS).

  • Time of year.

  • Environment (on tree, in water, on ground and so on).

Once it narrows down the options to a handful of birds, it provides photos of the male, female and juvenile varieties. It even includes a button that lets you listen to their particular birdsong.

If you're a bird-lover, or just like to sound smart in front of your friends, the Merlin Bird ID app is a must-have. It's completely free and remarkably accurate. Find it on the Google Play store today!

Shawn is Associate Editor here at Linux Journal, and has been around Linux since the beginning. He has a passion for open source, and he loves to teach. He also drinks too much coffee, which often shows in his writing.

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