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Best Cornell Ornithology Apps

201+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.3 avg rating
18 free apps
Updated May 2026

Every iPhone needs a few good cornell ornithology apps. We benchmark 201+ of them on App Store rating, freshness, and pricing, then surface the standouts so you don't have to scroll the App Store yourself.

Top Picks for Cornell Ornithology

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😊(108K ratings)
FreeAds
#3in 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
eBird#2

eBird by Cornell University

Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Strong Contender
🔍 Reference
3.8😐(781 ratings)
Free
#96in Reference
eBird screenshot 1
eBird screenshot 2
eBird screenshot 3
eBird screenshot 4
eBird screenshot 5

Easily record bird sightings in the field and contribute to a global database for scientific research and conservation. This app offers offline functionality, customized checklists, and GPS-enabled location plotting.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Excellent for citizen science
  • 🔍 Helpful for finding birds at hotspots
  • 📚 Useful for tracking life lists
  • 👍 Easy to use and submit checklists

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 📍 Issues with location tracking and mapping
Audubon Bird Guide#3

Audubon Bird Guide by National Audubon Society, Inc.

Identify over 800 bird species
Worth Considering
🔍 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
Audubon Bird Guide screenshot 6

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

More Cornell Ornithology apps to explore

4
Project FeederWatch
Project FeederWatch
Project FeederWatch
by Cornell University
Free

Easily report bird sightings from your feeder for scientific research. Track your statistics, access past counts, and learn about local feeder birds. Contribute to a large database that aids conservation efforts.

Report winter bird sightingsTrack sighting statisticsAccess past count archives
📚 Education
(68)
ad-supported
5
Picture Bird: Bird identifier
Picture Bird: Bird identifier
Picture Bird: Bird identifier
Identify Sound & Call, Birding
Free

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.

Accurate bird identification by photo or soundBirding camera with automatic sharpeningBird feeding guidance and tips
🔍 Reference
(35K)
free with in-app purchases
6
NestWatch by the Cornell Lab
NestWatch by the Cornell Lab
NestWatch by the Cornell Lab
by Cornell University
Free

Contribute to citizen science by tracking nesting birds across North America. Record nest locations, species, and nesting details to build a comprehensive database for scientific research and conservation efforts. The app offers offline functionality for data entry in remote areas.

Report bird nest locationsEnter species, egg, and young dataContribute to avian nesting success database
📚 Education
(17)
ad-supported
7
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
8
Bird Sounds Identifier Call ID
Bird Sounds Identifier Call ID
Bird Sounds Identifier Call ID
Bird Identifier By Sound, Song
Free

Identify birds by their songs or images. This app can recognize over 10,000 species, providing detailed information and photos. It's designed for bird lovers and nature enthusiasts to easily learn about avian life.

Identify birds by pictureIdentify birds by soundRecognize 10,000+ bird species
🔍 Reference
(13K)
free with in-app purchases
9
Bird Identifier: BirdScope
Bird Identifier: BirdScope
Bird Identifier: BirdScope
Bird Sound ID & Chicken Breed
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
(1.4K)
free with in-app purchases
10
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
11
Birda - Bird Watching, Birding
Birda - Bird Watching, Birding
Birda - Bird Watching, Birding
eBird Import & Free Identifier
Free

This app helps you identify birds using AI, track your sightings, and build life lists. Connect with a global community, discover new species, and contribute to conservation efforts. It also allows for easy import of your existing birding data.

AI bird identification from photosManual bird identification with AI textDetailed species guide with calls and maps
🔍 Reference
(2K)
free with in-app purchases
12
Sibley Birds 2nd Edition
Sibley Birds 2nd Edition
Sibley Birds 2nd Edition
Birds of North America
$19.99

Discover and identify over 930 bird species in North America with detailed artwork, descriptions, and distribution maps. Features smart search filters, bird calls, and personal list management for birdwatchers of all levels.

Detailed artwork and descriptionsDistribution mapsOver 2700 bird calls/songs
🔍 Reference
(2.4K)
paid
13
Bird QR
Bird QR
Bird QR
by CELLC
Free

Enhance your reading experience with this app that brings bird identification books to life. Access high-definition bird songs, calls, and supplementary information directly from your device. It also connects you to valuable ornithology resources and other helpful birding tools.

Access bird songs and callsStream supplementary contentLink to Merlin Bird ID app
🔍 Reference
(64)
free
14
Learn Bird Watching—Larkwire
Learn Bird Watching—Larkwire
Learn Bird Watching—Larkwire
Smart Birding & Identification
Free

Learn to identify birds by sound and sight with a game-based system. This app offers audio and visual courses created by experts to improve your birding skills, suitable for beginners and advanced enthusiasts alike.

Game-based learning systemIdentify birds by soundIdentify birds by sight
📚 Education
(1.2K)
free with in-app purchases
15
BirdNET
BirdNET
BirdNET
Bird sound identification
Free

Identify bird species by their sounds using AI. Record audio with your device and discover the birds around you. Contribute to conservation research by submitting your recordings.

AI-powered bird sound recognitionIdentify common North American and European speciesRecord audio with internal microphone
📚 Education
(194)
free
16
Bird Identifier, Bird Id
Bird Identifier, Bird Id
Bird Identifier, Bird Id
Bird Identification, Birding
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
(1.8K)
free with in-app purchases
17
iBird Pro Guide to Birds
iBird Pro Guide to Birds
iBird Pro Guide to Birds
Field Guide to North America
Free

This app serves as a comprehensive field guide for identifying birds across North America, the UK, Palau, and Hawaii. It offers offline access, advanced search capabilities, and detailed species information including illustrations, photos, songs, and range maps.

Offline bird databaseAdvanced parametric searchHigh-resolution illustrations
🔍 Reference
(7.1K)
free with in-app purchases
18
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
(60K)
free with in-app purchases
19
Birdfy
Birdfy
Birdfy
The Bird Side of Life
Free

Monitor your backyard for feathered visitors with real-time live streaming and automatic video capture of bird activity. Organize your recordings by species, share your discoveries with a global community, and even track the entire nesting and hatching process.

Real-time bird visitor trackingAutomatic video capture of bird momentsCategorized video clips by bird species
🔧 Utilities
(1.2K)
free with in-app purchases
20
iBird Ultimate Guide to Birds
iBird Ultimate Guide to Birds
iBird Ultimate Guide to Birds
North America, UK Hawaii Palau
$9.99

Identify birds from photos using AI, explore extensive databases for North America, UK, Hawaii, and Palau, and utilize advanced search filters. This app offers detailed species information, illustrations, and offline functionality for birdwatching.

AI-powered photo bird identificationExtensive bird databases (North America, UK, Hawaii, Palau)Parametric search engine with 35+ characteristics
🔍 Reference
(551)
paid