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Best Merlin Bird Watching Apps & Games

250+ iOS apps & games curated and reviewed

3.8 avg rating
20 free apps & games
Updated July 2026

With an average user rating of 3.8★, the merlin bird watching category is one of the App Store's strongest. Browse all 250+ apps and games we track, sorted so the most loved ones surface first.

Compare top Merlin Bird Watching Apps & Games (July 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Merlin Bird ID by Cornell LabMerlin Bird ID by Cornell LabFree4.9★ (109K)NoNoAug 2026
2Audubon Bird GuideAudubon Bird GuideFree4.3★ (4.5K)YesNoAug 2026
3Bird Sit SpotBird Sit SpotFree5.0★ (2)NoNoJul 2026
4eBirdeBirdFree3.8★ (797)NoNoAug 2026
5Bird Watching: Expert tipsBird Watching: Expert tipsFree4.5★ (20)NoYesAug 2026
6Identify Birds – Smart Bird IDIdentify Birds – Smart Bird IDFree4.7★ (17K)NoYesAug 2026
7Bird Guide - Offline bird identification appBird Guide - Offline bird identification appFree2.6★ (8)NoNoMay 2026
8Bird QRBird QRFree2.4★ (64)NoNoMay 2026

Top Picks for Merlin Bird Watching

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
#12in 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
Bird Sit Spot#3

Bird Sit Spot by Mykolas Dabulis

Calm birdwatching sessions
Worth Considering
🌟 Lifestyle
5.0(2 ratings)
Free
Bird Sit Spot screenshot 1
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Bird Sit Spot screenshot 4
Bird Sit Spot screenshot 5
Bird Sit Spot screenshot 6

This app encourages mindful birdwatching by providing a calm environment for observation. It features timed sessions, gentle prompts, and the ability to log detailed notes and photos of your sightings. Track your progress and build a routine with personalized observation spots and achievements.

More Merlin Bird Watching apps to explore

4
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
(797)
free
5
Bird Watching: Expert tips
Bird Watching: Expert tips
Bird Watching: Expert tips
Birding news, gear,advice
Free

Access UK's best-selling birding magazine content, including spotting guides, gear reviews, and expert tips. Read or listen to articles, browse past issues, and enjoy member-exclusive rewards. Offers free articles for non-members.

Access to all content and archiveRead or listen to articlesBrowse current and back issues
📰 Magazines & Newspapers
(20)
free with in-app purchases
6
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
7
Bird Guide - Offline bird identification app
Bird Guide - Offline bird identification app
Bird Guide - Offline bird identification app
by Le Thi Quynh Ny
Free

Identify birds with this app, featuring over 500 species. Access detailed information, images, and sounds for each bird. Browse or search for birds by name or topic.

Identify over 500 bird speciesDetailed bird informationIncludes images and sounds
🔍 Reference
(8)
free
8
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
9
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
10
Bird Watching Puzzle
Bird Watching Puzzle
Bird Watching Puzzle
Relaxing Jigsaw Puzzles
Free

This game combines the joy of bird watching with relaxing jigsaw puzzles. It offers a variety of puzzles with different piece counts and helpful tools like hints and piece locators.

Dozens of high-quality puzzlesVarying piece counts (9-64)Hint feature
🎮 Games
(10)
ad-supported
11
[bird identifier] by Birdby
[bird identifier] by Birdby
[bird identifier] by Birdby
Photo & Sound Identification
Free
🔍 Reference
(0)
12
Bird Tracker - Sightings Map
Bird Tracker - Sightings Map
Bird Tracker - Sightings Map
Live Bird Map & Photos
Free
🌟 Lifestyle
(0)
13
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
14
Live Bird Watching
Live Bird Watching
Live Bird Watching
by AWESOME APPS, Limited Liability Company
Free

Observe live video streams of diverse bird species from around the globe. Enjoy real-time footage with authentic audio, offering endless entertainment. Some feeds may be dark due to time of day, becoming visible during daylight hours.

Live video streaming of birdsGlobal bird species observationReal-time audio feeds
🔧 Utilities
(21)
free with in-app purchases
15
Feather Finder - A Bird Guide
Feather Finder - A Bird Guide
Feather Finder - A Bird Guide
Information about birds
Free

Discover a vast library of bird images, fun facts, and information about feathered friends. Perfect for bird enthusiasts and the curious, this app offers an intuitive interface to explore avian life. New content is added regularly, ensuring there's always something new to learn.

Extensive bird image collectionDetailed bird factsIntuitive browsing interface
🔍 Reference
(6)
free with in-app purchases
16
EyeLoveBirds: Bird Checklists
EyeLoveBirds: Bird Checklists
EyeLoveBirds: Bird Checklists
Bird ID, sightings, sounds
Free

This comprehensive bird watching guide helps you identify birds and log your sightings across the United States, Canada, and Europe. Access detailed profiles with photos, sounds, and range maps for thousands of species. Track your life list and discover birds near your current location.

Identify birds by appearance, call, or locationLog bird sightings and track life listsAccess detailed scientific bird profiles
🔍 Reference
(524)
free with in-app purchases
17
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
18
Bird Identifier - Birds Guide
Bird Identifier - Birds Guide
Bird Identifier - Birds Guide
Bird Identification Tool
Free
🔧 Utilities
(0)
19
BirdBingo&BirdWatching Safaris
BirdBingo&BirdWatching Safaris
BirdBingo&BirdWatching Safaris
New type of Birdwatching FUN
Free
🎬 Entertainment
(0)
20
Bird Identifier: BirdID
Bird Identifier: BirdID
Bird Identifier: BirdID
Identify & Picture & Photo
Free
🔍 Reference
(0)

FAQ about Merlin Bird Watching

What are the best merlin bird watching apps & games for iPhone?
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab tops our merlin bird watching apps & games ranking as of July 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 watching apps & games we rank are free to download, including Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab and Audubon Bird Guide.
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab has no ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of July 2026.
We track 250+ merlin bird watching apps & games on the iOS App Store as of July 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.