What kind of bird is that? Merlin Bird app identifies

Want some help identifying birds? The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has introduced a new smartphone app, Merlin Bird ID, with keys for recognizing 285 of the most common birds in North America.

Any good field guide includes descriptions of lots of birds, but Merlin takes an extra step: Using information collected by citizen-scientists all over the hemisphere and compiled in the eBird database, Merlin promises to narrow the search to birds already known to be in the viewer’s area.

To obtain suggested IDs, users enter their location and the date and then answer five simple questions about the bird. Merlin pops back with a likely ID - not merely which birds theoretically could occur nearby but which have been reported most often by other birders in a 30-mile radius.

When the user confirms a bird’s identification, the app adds that sighting to Cornell’s database of bird populations.

Created with support from the National Science Foundation, the app also includes birding tips, 1,400 photos, range maps and sound recordings for each species.

Merlin can be downloaded free from the iTunes App Store for iPhone and other iOS7 devices; an Android version is expected this spring.

To obtain the free download, the user provides an email address that Cornell will use for fundraising pitches, according to the Frequently Asked Questions section of the developer’s website, merlin.allaboutbirds.org. The FAQ says users can unsubscribe to email pitches at any time.

The FAQ also says an Internet version is being developed for people who don’t use smartphones, but it’s not ready yet.