Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab

Name: Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab
Rating: 4.9 (108451 reviews)
Author: Cornell University

By: Cornell University

Identify Birds You See & Hear

Features & Capabilities

Merlin Bird ID by the Cornell Lab is the world's leading bird identification app. It helps you identify birds you see and hear using four simple options: answer a few questions, upload a photo, record a singing bird, or explore birds by region. Powered by Visipedia and eBird data, Merlin's Photo ID and Sound ID rely on machine learning and expert curation to deliver accurate results.

Merlin also offers rich content: bird photos, songs, and calls from around the world, plus features like a personalized Bird of the Day, region-based lists, and a log to track your sightings. The Cornell Lab's mission to interpret and conserve Earth's biodiversity underpins Merlin, and the app is free thanks to members and citizen scientists.

User Growth & Download Statistics

App AI Education Data Photography Content

By:

Cornell University

Rating:

4.90

(108,451) 98 new ratings

Version:

3.9 Last updated: 2026-05-23

Version code:

885974805

Creation date:

2013-12-11

Compatible devices:

Size:

354.36MB

URLs:

Website ,Privacy policy

Full description:

Source:

Apple Apps Store

Data ingested on:

2026-06-30

Compare stats and ranking:

Ranking

# 3,300 ▲ 4

Other rankings

#7 in Essential Reference Apps

#23 in Summertime Essentials

#1 in merlin keyword 42

#4 in reference keyword 35 ▼ 2

#8 in nature keyword 17 ▲ 1

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For Developers

Monetize with App Pass Boost with Extension Booster

Contact the developer

Chrome-Stats does not own this Apple app. Please use these information below to contact the Apple app developer.

Developed by:

Cornell University

Apple Apps Store

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/merlin-bird-id-by-cornell-lab/id773457673

Website:

http://merlin.allaboutbirds.org

User Reviews

Merlin Bird ID is praised for accurate sound and photo ID, educational value, and a clean, ad-free UI, plus usefulness for EBird reporting. The main recurring drawbacks are the autosave removal causing data loss, stability issues like freezing, location/save glitches, and a more cumbersome save/discard workflow after updates. Overall, strong identification and learning features are offset by reliability and saving}_issues introduced by updates.

Pros

Highly accurate sound ID and reliable photo ID.
Strong educational value: helps users learn bird songs/calls and improves birdwatching.
Clean, simple, ad-free UI that is easy to use.
Useful for EBird reporting and citizen-science contributions.
Shows birds in your area and highlights likely matches, aiding identification.

Cons

Autosave removal leads to data loss unless users manually save; many reviews mention this risk.
Frequent stability issues: app freezes or performs slowly, especially when handling recordings.
Location and saving glitches: issues with saving recordings or location settings not being accepted.
Changed save/discard UX after updates, creating friction and increasing chances of losing data.

Recent reviews

App repeatedly identified American Goldfinch as a a peacock

by Se*****, 2026-06-27

I absolutely love that I can explore the birds around me without being an expert! I have found that if the bird appears out of season (and this is happening a LOT with climate change) or is a one-off, or even waterfowl, then the step-by-step bird ID tends to fail, BUT, the sound ID seems very accurate! So if the app isn’t coming up with the right bird using step-by-step ID see if you can catch the bird sound ID and you’ll be good! (Except today it failed to identify, or even register, a constantly calling northern house wren!) One of the best things about the app is that, amazingly, the bird sound ID works offline (if you have the bird pack downloaded, I presume) which is fantastic for backpacking trips!

by Pi*****, 2026-06-25

Cornell is magic. Their tireless collaboration with countless individuals (including us!) and organizations made this labor of love thrive and become one of the most powerful apps. I’ve had it since the first iteration & have used here at home & across Africa, Europe, & Eurasia.