3.0.5
2024-02-01
Two minor bug fixes:
- Bluetooth access will now only be requested when enabling Swarovski devices
- Bird names are now available in Simplified Chinese again
We periodically release fixes and tweaks to improve Merlin Bird ID and help you identify more birds. Your feedback and support drive our ongoing efforts to create a better birding experience for everyone. Stay tuned for more updates, improvements, and exciting features!
3.0.2
2023-10-23
Updated Sound ID Model (v34): Merlin can now identify over 1200 species by sound! We added over 150 new species to sound ID in this update, including fan-favorites like Wilson’s Plover, Flame-colored Tanager, and New Zealand Fantail.
New translation: Merlin is now available in Thai!
3.0.1
2023-08-30
New in this release: language updates and bug fixes for Merlin’s new layout
Danish translations: buttons and label text within Merlin are now available in Danish!
Layout fixes for Hebrew, Arabic, and other languages: fixed the layouts on the Sound ID and Life List pages for languages with right-to-left script.
Swarovski dG: restored ability to download your images directly from your Swarovski dG into Photo ID
3.0
2023-07-05
We're giving Merlin a makeover! We hope you find the new navigation system sleeker and more intuitive to use.
In addition to being able to more quickly navigate around the app, Sound ID can now run in the background while you use other parts of Merlin, like Explore and Life List.
2.1.8
2023-04-24
We’re excited to announce our latest update, with new features to make exploring your saved Sound ID recordings even more fun!
• Tap to cycle through multiple Sound ID results for a bird
Now, when you tap on a bird in your Sound ID recordings, you can cycle through multiple results for that bird. This is a great way to compare different results and find the one that you’re most confident in.
• Sound ID results are highlighted in Playback mode
We’ve also made it easier to explore your Sound ID recordings by highlighting the singing birds, same as the live recording. This makes it easy to see which birds are singing and to identify and learn the songs and calls.
• Sound ID recordings are backed up to iCloud
Finally, we’ve added iCloud backup support for Sound ID recordings. This means that your recordings will be automatically backed up to iCloud, so you can restore them if you ever update to a new device.
We hope you enjoy these new features! If you have any feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Thanks for using Sound ID!
2.1.7
2023-04-13
We’re excited to announce our latest update, with new features to make exploring your saved Sound ID recordings even more fun!
• Tap to cycle through multiple Sound ID results for a bird
Now, when you tap on a bird in your Sound ID recordings, you can cycle through multiple results for that bird. This is a great way to compare different results and find the one that you’re most confident in.
• Sound ID results are highlighted in Playback mode
We’ve also made it easier to explore your Sound ID recordings by highlighting the singing birds, same as the live recording. This makes it easy to see which birds are singing and to identify and learn the songs and calls.
• Sound ID recordings are backed up to iCloud
Finally, we’ve added iCloud backup support for Sound ID recordings. This means that your recordings will be automatically backed up to iCloud, so you can restore them if you ever update to a new device.
We hope you enjoy these new features! If you have any feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Thanks for using Sound ID!
2.1.6
2023-04-10
We’re excited to announce our latest update, with new features to make exploring your saved Sound ID recordings even more fun!
• Tap to cycle through multiple Sound ID results for a bird
Now, when you tap on a bird in your Sound ID recordings, you can cycle through multiple results for that bird. This is a great way to compare different results and find the one that you’re most confident in.
• Sound ID results are highlighted in Playback mode
We’ve also made it easier to explore your Sound ID recordings by highlighting the singing birds, same as the live recording. This makes it easy to see which birds are singing and to identify and learn the songs and calls.
• Sound ID recordings are backed up to iCloud
Finally, we’ve added iCloud backup support for Sound ID recordings. This means that your recordings will be automatically backed up to iCloud, so you can restore them if you ever update to a new device.
We hope you enjoy these new features! If you have any feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Thanks for using Sound ID!
2.1.5
2022-12-06
New in this release
• eBird/Clements Taxonomy 2022 - Updated species names to align with eBird
• Updated app translations
• Support for both Portuguese (Portugal) and Portuguese (Brazil)
• Support for ID text in Marathi and Malayalam
Also included 2.1.4
Updates to My Sound Recordings screen to quickly explore and manage your recordings
• Quickly view the top species
• Search by species, location, and filename
• Sort by date, recording length, and file name
• Select multiple recordings to share or delete
New common name options
• Spanish (Honduras)
• Portuguese (Angola)
Other updates include:
• Support audio imports from iCloud
• Show recording length for Sound ID session longer than 1 hour
2.1.4
2022-11-09
This latest version brings Sound ID improvements for US, Canada, and European species, as well as around 200 additional birds, covering some of the most common and widespread birds of Central and South America.
Updates to My Sound Recordings screen to quickly explore and manage your recordings
• Quickly view the top species
• Search by species, location, and filename
• Sort by date, recording length, and file name
• Select multiple recordings to share or delete
New common name options
• Spanish (Honduras)
• Portuguese (Angola)
Other updates include:
• Support audio imports from iCloud
• Show recording length for Sound ID session longer than 1 hour
2.1.2
2022-06-07
• Layout tweaks for smaller screens to show more results
• The latest and greatest Sound ID model!
• Video support for Sound ID - you can now open/Import videos and Sound ID will import just the audio and identify the singing birds
2.1.1
2022-05-08
• Layout tweaks for smaller screens to show more results
• The latest and greatest Sound ID model!
• Video support for Sound ID - you can now open/Import videos and Sound ID will import just the audio and identify the singing birds
2.1
2022-04-17
Now with Sound ID for birds in the United States, Canada, and Europe! Record the birds you hear, and watch real-time results show up on the screen to help guide you to the correct identification.
2.0.3
2022-01-02
This release brings bug fixes that improve Merlin to help you discover and identify birds around you.
2.0.2
2021-09-18
Now with Sound ID! Record the birds you hear, and watch real-time results show up on the screen to help guide you to the correct identification.
1.8.2
2020-08-31
Save My Bird
Now when you use the Bird ID or Photo ID features to identify a bird, you can tell Merlin that "This is my bird!" and save that sighting to your free Cornell Lab account. As you record when and where you see birds, you'll be able to watch your life list grow!
Think of a life list as a scrapbook of memories. It’s a record of the sweet sights and sounds you took in over all the days you went birdwatching. That’s why we’re excited to give you the tools to start your life list in Merlin. Use Save My Bird to create a list of all the birds you’ve confidently identified in person. You can even save the same species multiple times, if you want to keep track of all the places you’ve crossed paths with it.
1.8.2
New common name options
Arabic
Asturian
Azerbaijani
Catalan
Spanish, Peru
Spanish, Paraguay
Euskera
French, French Guiana
Galician
Slovak
1.8.1
Fixes to streamline logging in again if you've changed your password
Updates to translations
1.8.1
2020-08-22
Save My Bird
Now when you use the Bird ID or Photo ID features to identify a bird, you can tell Merlin that "This is my bird!" and save that sighting to your free Cornell Lab account. As you record when and where you see birds, you'll be able to watch your life list grow!
Think of a life list as a scrapbook of memories. It’s a record of the sweet sights and sounds you took in over all the days you went birdwatching. That’s why we’re excited to give you the tools to start your life list in Merlin. Use Save My Bird to create a list of all the birds you’ve confidently identified in person. You can even save the same species multiple times, if you want to keep track of all the places you’ve crossed paths with it.
1.8.1
Fixes to streamline logging in again if you've changed your password
Updates to translations
1.8
2020-08-10
Save My Bird
Now when you use the Bird ID or Photo ID features to identify a bird, you can tell Merlin that "This is my bird!" and save that sighting to your free Cornell Lab account. As you record when and where you see birds, you'll be able to watch your life list grow!
1.7.4
2020-06-09
# New common name options
English, UAE
English, Bangladesh
English, Kenya
English, Philippiness
English, South Africa
French, Guadeloupe
French, Haiti
Indonesian
Japanese
Korean
Mongolian
Romanian
# Various bug fixes
1.7.3
2020-05-01
This update adds support for the Swarovski Optik dG, as well as various fixes and improvements to help you identify more birds.
1.7.2
2020-03-28
This update adds support for the Swarovski Optik dG, as well as various fixes and improvements to help you identify more birds.
New - support for upcoming packs in French and German
1.7.1
2020-03-10
This update adds support for the Swarovski Optik dG, as well as various fixes and improvements to help you identify more birds.
1.7
2020-02-24
This update adds support for the Swarovski Optik dG, as well as various fixes and improvements to help you identify more birds.
1.6.4
2020-01-16
Check out the new Bird Pack screen, making it easier for you to find the birds at your next birding destination!
1.6.3
2019-09-06
Updates to maps and quick fixes.
1.6.2
2019-08-30
Updates to maps.
1.6.1
2019-07-29
Thanks for downloading the latest version of Merlin. We continue to make small tweaks and changes to make Merlin work better for everyone, and really appreciate all your great reviews!
The main change in this update is a refresh of the ID results to better take advantage of all the different iPhone screen sizes. You should be able to see more ID text before tapping on a bird, hopefully making your next ID even easier. Happy birding!
1.6
2019-06-19
Merlin 1.6 includes small fixes and tweaks to make your bird identification experience better.
1.5.3
2019-02-27
We're releasing just a few tweaks and fixes to make Merlin run smoother when you are out identifying birds.
New: common name languages
• Hawaiian
• Spanish (Costa Rica)
• Spanish (Ecuador)
• Traditional Chinese
• Simplified Chinese
• Slovenian
• Lithuanian
1.5.2
2018-12-05
We periodically release updates with small bug fixes and improvements based on your feedback.
1.5.1
2018-11-15
Find new life birds!
If you use eBird to manage your life list, you can quickly discover birds that you have never seen before. Open Explore Birds, select a location and date from the filter panel (upper right button), and then you can toggle on and off the birds you have already added to your eBird life list.
1.5
2018-10-01
New: eBird Life List integration
We are excited to announce the new eBird Life List integration in Merlin! Sign in with your Cornell Lab account to quickly view your world life list of species you have submitted to eBird.org.
This is the first step in a series of releases that will allow you to create and manage your life list in Merlin. Tap in to the full power of the eBird system where you can save and store your sightings by signing up for a free account through the app. Submit your sightings at eBird.org or with the eBird Mobile app to see your list in Merlin grow today!
Also in this version:
– link from eBird mobile app is more stable
1.4.2
2018-07-04
We have a small update for you with several tweaks to make finding birds in the app easier, including:
• Search bar is now always available at the top of the Explore Birds screen
• You can now search by scientific name if you have scientific names toggled on in settings
Additionally:
• It should now be easier to select the common name language that makes sense based on your phones settings. Options in your language will sort to the top.
• Updated some app labels for English UK users.
1.4.1
2018-06-07
Tweaks and fixes to keep Merlin flying smoothly and to support some fun things in the future!
1.4
2018-04-04
Introducing Bar Charts!
New Merlin bar charts let you explore migration anywhere in the world. You can find the bar charts by opening up Explore Birds, and using the filter options (button in top right corner) to select the location and date you want to explore under Likely Birds.
More info: Bar charts are an exciting new way to view how common birds are at a location during different times of year. While some birds are common year round, you may only see some species during the winter, during the breeding season, or as they pass through during migration. The bar charts use eBird sighting information to let you know at a glance how common each species is for every week of the year. This is very helpful for identifying birds, or finding birds you want to see.
1.3.9
2018-03-12
# Select a location from a map
Choose any location in the world via a map, making it easier to select any area in the world.
# Portuguese language support
If your device is set to Portuguese, labels and buttons will appear in Portuguese.
1.3.8
2017-12-22
Simpler species search in Explore Birds
- Can't remember where the hyphens go in Bare-throated Tiger-Heron? No problem, Merlin search now helps you find it even if you put in a space. If you use 4-letter codes for quick entry in eBird, you can also use those shortcuts to find a bird in Merlin.
More tweaks to support iPhone X
1.3.7
2017-11-23
SWIPE TO NEXT SPECIES
When you are looking at bird info, swipe left and right to move between species
• quickly move between species to compare range maps, songs, images, and ID text
SHARE YOUR ID
After you identify a bird, tap "This is my bird!" and a new Share action is available to to share that successful ID via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, text message, email, etc.
1.3.6
2017-11-02
New: Sound player with spectrograms!
Spectrograms provide a visual way to read and learn songs. You can read a spectrogram in a similar fashion as sheet music:
• lines going up and down to indicate pitch
• line gets darker to indicate volume
• time is represented horizontally
Update your packs to get the new spectrograms.
This version also includes tweaks and fixes for iOS 11 and iPhone X.
1.3.5
2017-09-12
Taxonomy update 2017
Added updated information for Cassia Crossbill, Hen Harrier, Great Gray Shrike, Rivioli's Hummingbird, and more
More common name languages
Support added to see common names in many additional languages
1.3.4
2017-07-14
3D Touch Quick actions
If you have an iPhone 6s or newer, you can 3D Touch the Merlin Bird ID icon to get quick access to Photo ID and Birds Nearby.
Pack update notifications
Did you know we've added nearly a thousand new species in Merlin over the past year? Many of those are available as updates to packs you have already downloaded, but if you don't check the Bird Pack screen, you'll never seen them! Merlin will now alert you when a new update is available.
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Also includes many other 1.3+ updates
• EXPLORE BIRDS feature
By popular request, Merlin now helps you discover other birds around you. The updated Explore Birds screen can now be filtered by any location and date, or a Bird Pack you have installed. Explore the birds that have been reported around you, whether you are birding at home, or on a trip.
• Sort by Most Likely
The Explore Birds list can now be filtered by how often each bird is reported in your area of interest. The most commonly reported birds show up at the top, giving you a better idea of species you should be looking for.
• Sort by Likely Birds within Families
Explore the birds of an area in a new way. This option groups the birds into the familiar families view, then sorts the birds within each group by how frequently they are reported, making it easier than ever to find the bird you are looking for.
Sort your list by Most Likely, and then search for “gull” or “sparrow” to see a list of the gulls or sparrows sorted by how common they are. This is another handy way to identify your mystery bird.
• Location shortcut
When you are using the Likely Birds feature, just tap the location button in the bottom right corner of the screen to quickly update the bird list to you current location.
1.3.3
2017-06-16
Merlin Bird ID 1.3.3 is a small maintenance release with a few new tweaks. Check them out and let us know what you think!
NEW - Sort by Likely Birds within Families
Explore the birds of an area in a new way. This option groups the birds into the familiar families view, then sorts the birds within each group by how frequently they are reported, making it easier than ever to find the bird you are looking for.
NEW - Search Bird Packs by name
The pack list is growing, this will help you find the pack to install for you upcoming summer vacation.
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Also includes many other 1.3+ updates
EXPLORE BIRDS feature
By popular request, Merlin now helps you discover other birds around you. The updated Explore Birds screen can now be filtered by any location and date, or a Bird Pack you have installed. Explore the birds that have been reported around you, whether you are birding at home, or on a trip.
Sort by Most Likely
The Explore Birds list can now be filtered by how often each bird is reported in your area of interest. The most commonly reported birds show up at the top, giving you a better idea of species you should be looking for.
Sort your list by Most Likely, and then search for “gull” or “sparrow” to see a list of the gulls or sparrows sorted by how common they are. This is another handy way to identify your mystery bird.
New location shortcut
When you are using the Likely Birds feature, just tap the location button in the bottom right corner of the screen to quickly update the bird list to you current location.
1.3.2
2017-05-23
New in 1.3.2
New location shortcut
When you are using the Likely Birds feature, just tap the location button in the bottom right corner of the screen to quickly update the bird list to you current location.
Improved date selector
There is now a new option in the date selector– Today. The date (and the bird lists) shown will always stay current when Today is selected!
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1.3 Release notes
New - EXPLORE BIRDS feature
By popular request, Merlin now helps you discover other birds around you. The updated Explore Birds screen can now be filtered by any location and date, or a Bird Pack you have installed. Explore the birds that have been reported around you, whether you are birding at home, or on a trip.
New - Sort by Most Likely
The Explore Birds list can now be filtered by how often each bird is reported in your area of interest. The most commonly reported birds show up at the top, giving you a better idea of species you should be looking for.
Pro tip: Sort your list by Most Likely, and then search for “gull” or “sparrow” to see a list of the gulls or sparrows sorted by how common they are. This is another handy way to identify your mystery bird.
1.3.1
Improved Photo ID results
We found a few ways to improve the results from Photo ID, particularly if you are setting a location. If you haven't tried out Photo ID yet, we encourage you to give it a shot. You can snap a photo of the bird with your phone, or take a photo of the back of your camera view finder, or your computer screen, however it is easiest for you to get a photo on your phone.
1.3.1
2017-04-26
New in 1.3.1
Improved Photo ID results
We found a few ways to improve the results from Photo ID, particularly if you are setting a location. If you haven't tried out Photo ID yet, we encourage you to give it a shot. You can snap a photo of the bird with your phone, or take a photo of the back of your camera view finder, or your computer screen, however it is easiest for you to get a photo on your phone.
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1.3 Release notes
New - EXPLORE BIRDS feature
By popular request, Merlin now helps you discover other birds around you. The updated Explore Birds screen can now be filtered by any location and date, or a Bird Pack you have installed. Explore the birds that have been reported around you, whether you are birding at home, or on a trip.
New - Sort by Most Likely
The Explore Birds list can now be filtered by how often each bird is reported in your area of interest. The most commonly reported birds show up at the top, giving you a better idea of species you should be looking for.
Pro tip: Sort your list by Most Likely, and then search for “gull” or “sparrow” to see a list of the gulls or sparrows sorted by how common they are. This is another handy way to identify your mystery bird.
1.3
2017-04-11
New - EXPLORE BIRDS feature
By popular request, Merlin now helps you discover other birds around you. The updated Explore Birds screen can now be filtered by any location and date, or a Bird Pack you have installed. Explore the birds that have been reported around you, whether you are birding at home, or on a trip.
New - Sort by Most Likely
The Explore Birds list can now be filtered by how often each bird is reported in your area of interest. The most commonly reported birds show up at the top, giving you a better idea of species you should be looking for.
Pro tip: Sort your list by Most Likely, and then search for “gull” or “sparrow” to see a list of the gulls or sparrows sorted by how common they are. This is another handy way to identify your mystery bird.
1.2.2
2017-03-09
Toggle scientific name on and off
Improvements to Photo ID
1.2.1
2017-02-03
Merlin 1.2.1 includes many behind-the-scenes tweaks and fixes that pave the way for new features and Bird Packs in the near future including:
- Spanish language support
- new map legend to support upcoming Bird Packs
1.2 THE PHOTO ID UPDATE
We partnered with computer vision scientists at Cornell Tech and Caltech to bring you a new way to identify your mystery birds. Take a photo, load one from your camera roll, or even snap a shot of the viewfinder of your camera, and Merlin will show you a list of suggestions, complete with the photos, audio, ID text and maps you expect from Merlin
1.2
2016-11-30
THE PHOTO ID UPDATE
We partnered with computer vision scientists at Cornell Tech and Caltech to bring Merlin users a new way to identify your mystery bird. Take a photo, or load one from your camera roll, and Merlin will show you a list of suggestions, complete with the photos, sounds, ID text and maps you expect from Merlin.
1.1
2016-08-12
THE BIRD PACK UPDATE
• Download just the birds for your region, reducing the size of the app
• Initial app download size significantly reduced
Additional updates
• Search Merlin birds via Spotlight
• Scientific name shown in photo gallery
• General improvements
1.0.4
2016-03-01
• Improved identification results
• Updated range maps
• Download size reduced by 150 MB
• Option to have bird names display in Spanish, Portuguese, or French
• General improvements
1.0.3
2014-07-10
• Full content and features for 50 additional species for a total of 400.
• Network connection error message occurs less frequently.