Why budding birders are flocking to Shazam-like apps to identify avians

Megan has been birding since childhood, but Merlin Bird ID has become part of her toolkit

Megan Szostak, 26, was always a "bird kid".

The urge to watch and appreciate the world around her - and avians flitting in and out of it - has been ingrained in her since childhood, when she was given her grandfather's binoculars after he died.

Armed with this and a field guide in her home of San Francisco, she set about identifying birds from an early age.

But in recent years, her birding toolbelt has expanded to include something far more modern - an app.

"I had friends who probably wouldn't describe themselves as birders, but more just curious about nature and the world around them, recommend it to me," Megan said.

She is one of many millions of people who have downloaded Merlin Bird ID, which claims to be able to identify almost any bird by its look, song or call.

"I think that it's been a really great tool that I've integrated into my birding routine," she said.

And whether down to heatwaves sending more people outdoors, or younger people delving into birding, these apps are booming in popularity.

Chief among them is Merlin Bird ID, which was developed by Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology.

It has been downloaded 12 million times in 2026 alone, according to director Jessie Barry - who says it has had 42 million downloads overall.

She says the app has come a long way since it first launched in the US in 2014, with machine learning systems which could identify 285 common bird species from photos.

A real feather in its cap at the time, but a decade or so on, and it can now identify 11,000 species of birds - around as many as exist in the world.

Barry put the development down to AI, as well as "an amazing community of global bird watchers who are able to submit their recordings" - meaning more data to train the tech.

Known for its distinctive tail, the Long-Tailed Duck remains a firm favourite of Merlin's Jessie Barry

Seasoned birdwatchers would be quick to say the app doesn't always get it right.

Some experts and charities have urged not to rely too much on Merlin, or other apps like it, especially to record official sightings.