The Nationwide Audubon Society’s birding app is powered by greater than 100 years of North American birding historical past (and e-Hen). It’s additionally incrediby beginner-friendly. Like Merlin, there’s a step-by-step identification instrument that provides filters for narrowing down the record of most-likelies of close by birds. Not like Merlin, the Audubon App at present helps solely North American species.
However if you’d like an app that can assist you systematically construct your field-based birding expertise, I’m unsure there’s a greater possibility than Audubon. Certainly one of its nice strengths is that the app gives quite a lot of wonderful identification filters. I discover myself scrolling by means of the filters even once I’m not out birding as a result of they’re nice tutorials on the foundational components of hen identification. Utilizing the Audubon app has improved my statement expertise by bettering the components of a hen I reflexive search for based mostly on what info I have to populate the filters.
Along with coloration, measurement and exercise, the app additionally lets customers filter by tail form, wing form, habitat, voice, and one thing Audubon calls “kind.” Deciding on “kind” sends you to a web page to select from choices, together with “Gull-Like birds,” “Upright-Perching Water Birds,” “Owls”, and (my private favourite), “Rooster-Like Marsh Birds.” (That filter was invaluable once I was making an attempt to quickly differentiate between gallinules). “Kind” is useful (particularly for newcomers) as a result of in case you’re unfamiliar with hen taxonomies and the way they’re grouped, with the ability to have a look at a piece known as “Lengthy-legged waders” as an alternative of getting to kind by means of storks, cranes, herons, ibis and allies builds confidence and delight. (At the least for me).
A notice in regards to the “Voice” filter as effectively. After I first began birding, the professional birders I tagged together with would typically describe the hen sounds we had been listening to as a “chirp or a chip,” a “buzz,” “trill,” “twitter,” or “warble” and I’d nod alongside like I knew what they had been speaking about. One of many challenges of studying to hen by ear is that particular person birds have quite a lot of completely different vocalizations, understanding the distinction between a “trill” and a “buzz” helps you quickly slim potential species. The Voice filter permits you to hearken to the completely different sounds and put a reputation to what you’re listening to.
The Audubon App gives quite a lot of other ways to make use of the filters and you’ll select which filters are most helpful (or accessible) to you on any given sighting. It additionally gives an “Discover” part (powered by e-bird) that, with a click on of an icon, will present you (relying on the way you arrange your location permissions) native hotspots and sightings).
You need to use the hen identification options of the Audubon app with out signing up for an account (free). However, if you wish to preserve your sighting record, share sightings, or have entry to all the app’s options, you’ll have to set one up.
Worth: Free
Strengths: Hen identification (strong, structured filters); maintaining a sighting record; contributing to science by means of its interface with e-Hen (free account by means of Cornell Lab of Ornithology required to make use of with e-Hen); wealth of “featured content material” inside the app itself so you may scroll the app for added content material even whenever you’re not actively birding.
Works with out wifi/cell protection: Sure. You’ll have to obtain the sphere information whenever you set up the app, however after that, it really works with out wifi or cell protection. (I examined it within the Everglades and it labored nice.)
Updates: Audubon retains the app up to date and repeatedly provides new options.
