Merlin Bird Id can identify birds by sound or image.
Application start menu. EVENING PAPER
Birding is a nice activity for those who are active in nature. Several applications are also available to support this. Iltalehti went to Seurasaari in Helsinki to test the Merlin Bird Id application published by the American Cornell University.
The application uses artificial intelligence for identification. The application identifies birds based on either a picture or a sound, for which artificial intelligence retrieves identification information from databases. Databases about birds can be downloaded to the phone for a certain corner of the world, so the application can be used, for example, when traveling.
The application can distinguish birdsong from a recording. EVENING PAPER
Using the application gave birdwatching the same excitement of discovery that, for example, playing Pokemon Go gives.
Voice recognition worked really well in the test. However, Tirpat is not necessarily always in the singing mood, in which case identification can be sought based on the picture. The user would then have to be careful with the camera, especially if the bird is not in the mood to pose. Despite the inaccurate picture, the application is able to give surprisingly good suggestions as to what the photographed bird could be.
Photographing birds with a cell phone can require speed. EVENING PAPER
It is also possible to try to identify the bird using identification information, to which the application asks for the bird’s location, size and color. From the listing you can look at pictures and listen to what kind of song the bird has.
Application listing for large and false birds. EVENING PAPER
At least the application can identify commonly known birds easily, so this is a great tool especially for a beginner bird watcher. Rarer birds were not obtained for testing the application, so Iltalehti could not verify the coverage of the databases.
There are also other applications that utilize artificial intelligence. A domestic alternative is the Spring of Migratory Birds application developed by the University of Jyväskylä.