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Best Merlin Bird Identification App

201+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.6 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated June 2026

With an average user rating of 4.6★, the merlin bird identification app category is one of the App Store's strongest. Browse all 201+ apps we track, sorted so the most loved ones surface first.

Compare top Merlin Bird Identification App (June 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Merlin Bird ID by Cornell LabMerlin Bird ID by Cornell LabFree4.9★ (109K)NoNoAug 2026
2Picture Bird: Bird identifierPicture Bird: Bird identifierFree4.7★ (40K)NoYesAug 2026
3Bird Sounds Identifier Call IDBird Sounds Identifier Call IDFree4.7★ (13K)YesYesAug 2026
4Identify Birds – Smart Bird IDIdentify Birds – Smart Bird IDFree4.7★ (17K)NoYesAug 2026
5Audubon Bird GuideAudubon Bird GuideFree4.3★ (4.5K)YesNoAug 2026
6Bird Identifier: BirdScopeBird Identifier: BirdScopeFree4.7★ (2.7K)NoYesAug 2026
7Bird Identifier, Bird IdBird Identifier, Bird IdFree4.5★ (1.9K)YesNoAug 2026
8Bird Sound Identifier Bird IDBird Sound Identifier Bird IDFree4.5★ (316)YesYesAug 2026

Top Picks for Merlin Bird Identification App

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😊(109K ratings)
Free
#9in 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
Picture Bird: Bird identifier#2

Picture Bird: Bird identifier by Next Vision Limited

Bird Sound & Image ID, Birding
Strong Contender
🔍 Reference
4.7😐(40K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
#29in 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
Bird Sounds Identifier Call ID#3

Bird Sounds Identifier Call ID by Nhu Nguyen Thi

Bird Identifier By Sound, Song
Worth Considering
🔍 Reference
4.7😞(13K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#70in Reference
Bird Sounds Identifier Call ID screenshot 1
Bird Sounds Identifier Call ID screenshot 2
Bird Sounds Identifier Call ID screenshot 3
Bird Sounds Identifier Call ID screenshot 4
Bird Sounds Identifier Call ID screenshot 5
Bird Sounds Identifier Call ID screenshot 6

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.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Accurate bird identification
  • 👍 Helpful for bird enthusiasts
  • 🌟 Impressive app overall
  • 🎉 Great for learning about birds

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Inaccurate bird identification
  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🤖 Overly aggressive upselling

More Merlin Bird Identification App 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
Audubon Bird Guide
Audubon Bird Guide
Audubon Bird Guide
Identify over 800 bird species
Free

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.

Bird identification toolDetailed species profilesBird song and call audio
🔍 Reference
(4.5K)
free with in-app purchases
6
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
(2.7K)
free with in-app purchases
7
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
(1.9K)
free with in-app purchases
8
Bird Sound Identifier Bird ID
Bird Sound Identifier Bird ID
Bird Sound Identifier Bird ID
Bird Call Identification Song
Free

Identify birds and insects instantly by uploading a photo. Get detailed information from a rich database with an easy-to-use interface. Offers fast and accurate results for nature enthusiasts.

Photo identification of birdsPhoto identification of insectsFast and accurate results
📚 Education
(316)
free with in-app purchases
9
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
10
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
11
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
(212)
free
12
Birda - Bird Watching, Birding
Birda - Bird Watching, Birding
Birda - Bird Watching, Birding
eBird Import & AI 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
(2.1K)
free with in-app purchases
13
Bird ID - Call Identification
Bird ID - Call Identification
Bird ID - Call Identification
Sounds & Picture Identifier
Free

Identify birds by their appearance or song with this smart utility. It provides detailed information on species, saves your discoveries, and turns any outing into a nature exploration.

Instant recognition by photoVoice recording and analysisHistory of searches
🔧 Utilities
(16)
subscription
14
ChirpOMatic - BirdSong USA
ChirpOMatic - BirdSong USA
ChirpOMatic - BirdSong USA
Identify birds by song & call
Free
$4.99 | 100% OFF

Identify North American birds by their songs and calls. Simply record the sound, and the app analyzes it to provide species identification, even in noisy environments. Access detailed information and contribute to bird research.

Bird song and call identificationAudio analysis of vocalizationsRanked shortlist for noisy recordings
🔍 Reference
(1.7K)
free with in-app purchases
15
eBird
eBird
eBird
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Free

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.

Record bird observations globallyGlobal taxonomy and local common namesLocation and time-based checklists
🔍 Reference
(781)
free
16
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
17
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
18
PlantNet
PlantNet
PlantNet
Plant Identification
Free

Identify plants by taking photos with your smartphone. Contribute to a global citizen science project to understand and preserve plant biodiversity. Recognizes thousands of wild and cultivated species.

Identify plants by photographing themCitizen science project for biodiversitySupports identification of flowering plants, trees, grasses, and more
📚 Education
(7K)
free
19
Bird Identifier & Guide
Bird Identifier & Guide
Bird Identifier & Guide
Sound Recognition & Guide
Free

Effortlessly identify bird species by photo or sound. Access a comprehensive guide with detailed information on thousands of birds and connect with a community of bird enthusiasts. Enhance your birdwatching adventures with cutting-edge identification technology.

Identify birds by photoIdentify birds by soundExtensive bird database
🔍 Reference
(9)
free with in-app purchases
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 Merlin Bird Identification App

What is the best merlin bird identification app for iPhone?
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab tops our merlin bird identification app ranking as of June 2026, with a 4.9-star average from 109K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 20 of the top merlin bird identification app we rank are free to download, including Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab and Picture Bird: Bird identifier.
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab has no ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of June 2026.
We track 201+ merlin bird identification app on the iOS App Store as of June 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.