1. Home
  2. Topics
  3. Bird Identification Apps Free

Best Bird Identification Apps Free

249+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.6 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated August 2026

With an average user rating of 4.6★, the bird identification apps free category is one of the App Store's strongest. Browse all 249+ apps we track, sorted so the most loved ones surface first.

Compare top Bird Identification Apps Free (August 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Merlin Bird ID by Cornell LabMerlin Bird ID by Cornell LabFree4.9★ (111K)NoNoAug 2026
2Audubon Bird GuideAudubon Bird GuideFree4.3★ (4.5K)YesNoAug 2026
3Picture Bird: Bird identifierPicture Bird: Bird identifierFree4.7★ (40K)NoYesAug 2026
4Identify Birds – Smart Bird IDIdentify Birds – Smart Bird IDFree4.7★ (17K)NoYesAug 2026
5Birdbuddy: ID & Collect BirdsBirdbuddy: ID & Collect BirdsFree4.8★ (61K)NoYesAug 2026
6Seek by iNaturalistSeek by iNaturalistFree4.8★ (31K)NoNoAug 2026
7Identify Bird Calls - TrillixIdentify Bird Calls - TrillixFree—NoYesAug 2026
8Bird Guru: Bird Identifier AIBird Guru: Bird Identifier AIFree—NoYesMay 2026

Top Picks for Bird Identification Apps Free

Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab#1

Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab by Cornell University

Identify Birds You See & Hear
Editor's Choice
🔍 Reference
4.9😊(111K ratings)
Free
#11in Reference
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab screenshot 1
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab screenshot 2
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab screenshot 3
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab screenshot 4
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab screenshot 5
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab screenshot 6

Easily identify birds by sight or sound using advanced machine learning. Explore birds in your region, track your sightings, and learn about species with photos, sounds, and range maps. This free app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology helps build your birding skills.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Helpful for bird identification
  • 🔒 Accurate bird identification
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 👍 Useful for beginners and experts

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Sound ID not always accurate
  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
  • 🐛 Difficulty adding birds to life list
Audubon Bird Guide#2

Audubon Bird Guide by National Audubon Society

Identify over 800 bird species
Strong Contender
🔍 Reference
4.3😊(4.5K ratings)
FreeAds
Audubon Bird Guide screenshot 1
Audubon Bird Guide screenshot 2
Audubon Bird Guide screenshot 3
Audubon Bird Guide screenshot 4
Audubon Bird Guide screenshot 5

Identify North American birds with this comprehensive field guide. Features include a bird ID tool based on observations, detailed species information with photos and audio, and a personal sightings log. Discover nearby birding locations and connect with conservation efforts.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Great app
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🔍 Helpful for identifying birds
  • 🎶 Useful bird calls and sounds

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and crashes
  • 🔄 Confusing interface changes
  • 🔒 Requires account creation
Picture Bird: Bird identifier#3

Picture Bird: Bird identifier by Next Vision Limited

Bird Sound & Image ID, Birding
Worth Considering
🔍 Reference
4.7😐(40K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
#38in Reference
Picture Bird: Bird identifier screenshot 1
Picture Bird: Bird identifier screenshot 2
Picture Bird: Bird identifier screenshot 3
Picture Bird: Bird identifier screenshot 4
Picture Bird: Bird identifier screenshot 5
Picture Bird: Bird identifier screenshot 6

Identify birds by photo or sound with this smart app. Access detailed information, learn about bird feeding, and manage your sightings. It's a comprehensive tool for bird enthusiasts of all levels.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Accurate identification
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 💡 Helpful information about birds
  • 🚀 Ability to identify from photos and sounds

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent identification accuracy
  • 🔒 Misleading subscription model
  • 🐛 Incorrect identification of common birds

More Bird Identification Apps Free apps to explore

4
Identify Birds – Smart Bird ID
Identify Birds – Smart Bird ID
Identify Birds – Smart Bird ID
From photo or sound. Instantly
Free

Instantly identify birds from photos or sounds. Explore a global bird guide, learn through interactive challenges and courses, and log your sightings. Connect with a community of bird watchers and collect animated stickers.

Identify birds by photoIdentify birds by soundGlobal bird identification guide
📚 Education
(17K)
free with in-app purchases
5
Birdbuddy: ID & Collect Birds
Birdbuddy: ID & Collect Birds
Birdbuddy: ID & Collect Birds
Identify by photo & sound
Free

Instantly identify bird species using your phone's camera or microphone, or through a smart feeder. Collect digital postcards, learn fascinating facts, and contribute to conservation efforts with this global birdwatching community app.

Identify birds by photo or soundSmart feeder integrationCollect and learn bird facts
📚 Education
(61K)
free with in-app purchases
6
Seek by iNaturalist
Seek by iNaturalist
Seek by iNaturalist
Identify plants & animals
Free

Identify plants, animals, and fungi using your phone's camera. Learn about the organisms around you and earn badges for your discoveries. It's a fun, kid-safe way to explore nature and expand your knowledge of the living world.

Image recognition for plant and animal identificationLearn about local speciesEarn badges for observations
📚 Education
(31K)
free
7
Identify Bird Calls - Trillix
Identify Bird Calls - Trillix
Identify Bird Calls - Trillix
Bird Call Identification
Free
🔍 Reference
(0)
8
Bird Guru: Bird Identifier AI
Bird Guru: Bird Identifier AI
Bird Guru: Bird Identifier AI
Species Pic Identification App
Free

Instantly identify birds from photos using advanced AI. This app provides detailed species profiles, including habitat, behavior, and range maps. It also logs your sightings and works offline, making it a comprehensive companion for birdwatching enthusiasts.

AI-powered photo bird identificationDetailed species profilesOffline identification history
🔍 Reference
(0)
free with in-app purchases
9
Bird Call Identifier - Bird ID
Bird Call Identifier - Bird ID
Bird Call Identifier - Bird ID
Song, Sound Identification app
Free

Identify birds by their songs, photos, or descriptions. Explore detailed profiles of over 10,000 species and build your personal life list of sightings. Perfect for beginners and experienced birdwatchers alike.

Identify birds by sound recordingIdentify birds by photoIdentify birds by description
🌟 Lifestyle
(3)
freemium
10
Bird Identifier – Birdium
Bird Identifier – Birdium
Bird Identifier – Birdium
Scan, Identify & Learn Species
Free
🔍 Reference
(0)
11
Bird Identifier: BirdScope
Bird Identifier: BirdScope
Bird Identifier: BirdScope
Bird Call & Photo Identifier
Free

Instantly identify birds using photos or sound with advanced AI. Explore a comprehensive encyclopedia, access bird watching guides, and build your personal collection of identified species. Discover fun avian facts and connect with a community of bird lovers.

AI-powered photo identificationBird sound recording and identificationExtensive bird encyclopedia
🌟 Lifestyle
(2.8K)
free with in-app purchases
12
Bird Identifier: Bird Sound ID
Bird Identifier: Bird Sound ID
Bird Identifier: Bird Sound ID
Bird Call Identification App
Free

Instantly identify birds by their song or a photo using advanced AI. Get detailed information and ask an AI chatbot questions about bird species, habitats, and behaviors. Perfect for beginners and experts alike.

AI bird sound recognitionBird identification by photoAI chatbot for bird knowledge
📚 Education
(1)
free with in-app purchases
13
Bird Identifier - BirdSnap
Bird Identifier - BirdSnap
Bird Identifier - BirdSnap
Recognize Birds with Photos
Free
🔍 Reference
(0)
14
Bird Identifier: birding Scans
Bird Identifier: birding Scans
Bird Identifier: birding Scans
bird feather identification AI
Free
$1.99 | 100% OFF
📚 Education
(0)
15
Bird Identifier: Roostly
Bird Identifier: Roostly
Bird Identifier: Roostly
Sound, Song, Call & Photo ID
Free

Instantly identify birds from a single photo using AI. Get detailed information on each bird, save your discoveries, and share them with friends. Perfect for bird watchers and nature lovers.

AI-powered bird identificationDetailed bird informationSave and share identifications
🔍 Reference
(1.9K)
free with in-app purchases
16
Ptashka: Bird Sonar
Ptashka: Bird Sonar
Ptashka: Bird Sonar
Find out which bird is singing
Free

Identify birds by their songs using advanced AI, even without an internet connection. Map your past sightings and explore detailed information on over 6,000 species worldwide to enhance your birdwatching adventures.

Offline bird identification by songAI-powered species recognitionObservation mapping of sightings
🔍 Reference
(1)
free
17
Lyrebird: Bird Identifier
Lyrebird: Bird Identifier
Lyrebird: Bird Identifier
Scan photo & sound to ID birds
Free
📊 Productivity
(0)
18
Bird Identifier - Birdy
Bird Identifier - Birdy
Bird Identifier - Birdy
Identify Birds You See & Hear
Free
🔍 Reference
(0)
19
Bird Identifier: Photo & Sound
Bird Identifier: Photo & Sound
Bird Identifier: Photo & Sound
Bird Sounds & Photo Identifier
Free
📚 Education
(0)
20
Identify Bird
Identify Bird
Identify Bird
Bird Identifier by photo
Free

Effortlessly identify birds from photos with an extensive database and detailed information on diet and behavior. Access educational resources to enhance your bird watching knowledge and skills. Designed for ease of use for all nature enthusiasts.

Effortless bird identification from photosExtensive global bird species databaseLearn bird diet and behavior
📚 Education
(0)
free with in-app purchases

FAQ about Bird Identification Apps Free

What are the best bird identification apps free for iPhone?
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab tops our bird identification apps free ranking as of August 2026, with a 4.9-star average from 111K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab has no ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of August 2026.
We track 249+ bird identification apps free on the iOS App Store as of August 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
Merlin Bird ID is a free app that helps you identify birds you see or hear. It uses machine learning powered by a vast database of bird sightings, sounds, and photos from eBird. You can identify birds by uploading a photo, recording a sound, answering simple questions, or exploring birds in a specific region.
The app leverages machine learning trained on millions of photos and sounds collected by experienced birders. This, combined with curated data from eBird and the Macaulay Library, ensures highly accurate identification results. Expert birders contribute to the ongoing improvement of the identification algorithms.