Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab

Name: Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab
Rating: 4.9 (110357 reviews)
Author: Cornell University

By: Cornell University App

Identify Birds You See & Hear

Overview

Version:

4.0

Last updated: 2026-07-13

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

(110,357) 596 new ratings

Version:

4.0 Last updated: 2026-07-13

Version code:

888078491

Creation date:

2013-12-11

Compatible devices:

Size:

361.64MB

URLs:

Website ,Privacy policy

Full description:

Source:

Apple Apps Store

Data ingested on:

2026-08-14

Compare stats and ranking:

Ranking

# 3,300 ▲ 11

Other rankings

#7 in Essential Reference Apps

#23 in Summertime Essentials

#1 in merlin keyword 41

#6 in reference keyword 29 ▼ 2

#10 in nature keyword 14 ▼ 4

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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

I love it - great app, birds are awesome

by la*****, 2026-08-05

My new favorite thing is to wake up in the morning, open the app, and set it on my kitchen windowsill while I go about my business for 15 minutes or so. Then I can see all of the birds in my backyard. There are often surprises (what I think of as fly-bys), and it’s really a highlight of my day. I’ve started doing this whenever I need a little break, too. I work at home. The best thing about this is that I live in a busy urban environment that is often frustratingly noisy, so it’s such a delight to recognize that these birds are out there. An armchair birder, I recognize a lot of bird sounds, but the app allows me to identify birds that I don’t recognize when I hear them, as well as pick up on ones that are nearby, but not sight accessible to me, for example, in very tall trees on properties nearby, where I can’t see them. Just love it!