BirdNET

BirdNET is an app that easily tells you what bird you are currently hearing with just a few taps. The BirdNET App, a free bird sound identification app for Android and iOS with over 3,000 bird species, lowers barriers to citizen research and generates tens of millions of bird observations globally that can be used to mimic established trends in avian ecology.

What do we like about Bird Net?

BirdNet is a handy, small programme that allows you to capture noises and then instantly mark the section of the recording where you heard the bird you wish to identify provides the solution. Currently, BirdNET can identify the 984 most prevalent species in North America and Europe, but they intend to expand their offering.

What skills does it improve?

BirdNET allows you to see a small portion of the scientific method in action. It digitises bird sounds as you record them and then gives you control over how the identification process will go. The insight into bioacoustics is a bonus once you've mastered the software.

What age is it appropriate for?

BirdNET is appropriate for all ages. 

Is Bird Net free?

For iOS and Android, the app, BirdNET is available for free download.

Is Bird Net easy to use?

After analysing the audio sample you took, the app will present you with a list of findings that are ordered according to how probable they are to be the correct match for the bird you are looking for. The system divides the audio signal, uses a neural network to classify it, and then transmits the classifications to the client. This obviously depends on the recording quality, but if you're outside and the bird isn't too far away, this should typically work. Prior to showing you the results, the client sends chosen segments of the captured audio to BirdNET's servers for processing.

How will students benefit?

It often makes sense to download the BirdNET app and utilise it when you're really hiking or taking a walk outside. The app can help you identify birds rather quickly if you've ever been fascinated by a particularly unusual bird nearby and want to know what species "sings" like that. The results are only obtained once you start the microphone, wait until the bird has been successfully captured, and then choose the bird from the visualisation of the audio on your display. On the next screen, you can tap to read more about this particular species of bird or view pictures or videos of it. 

How will parents benefit?

The nerdy aspects of this app greatly excite someone who enjoys experimenting with artificial intelligence. The app tackles bird identification using a sophisticated artificial intelligence technology, in contrast to competing apps that just employ standard algorithms. This app has been taught to exceptionally well identify the correct bird to match the correct sound.

What can Bird Net improve on?

However, sometimes it takes more time than expected to send audio recordings to their systems, so the response time will be a little slower. 

How much does Bird Net cost?

BirdNET is available free of cost. 

Final thoughts

When the app can determine where you're recording the audio and which birds are most likely to live nearby, the bird identification and lookup tool that uses the animal's calls performs better. This app records the sounds of birds in your environment and plays them back. The app will then get the footage, use AI to process it on the computer side, and send it your way so you can view the potential outcomes. Although it may seem like it would take a while, this method only needs a few seconds to produce a prediction on the birds you are hearing.