Customer Reviews (500)

Weee—— • 2025-03-23T23:44:38-07:00

Really like the feature of identified by the bird sounds.🦜

Deaconrich • 2025-03-23T10:52:30-07:00

I love Picture Bird with all its great features and easy functionality. It’s a package that has all you need for bird lovers, whether you’re a beginner to advanced.

No way out of the stupidity • 2025-03-23T10:20:48-07:00

I’m an older guy who is often challenged by technology. This was incredibly easy to understand and we found our bird in just a few minutes. I really like the ability to search by writing a description. Love this!

Summary of Key Insights

The Picture Bird app is generally well-received, with users praising its accuracy in bird identification (both photo and sound), ease of use, and educational value. However, there are significant pain points related to subscription costs, inaccurate identification in specific cases (especially with chickens), and occasional technical issues like crashes or the inability to cancel subscriptions. Sentiment is generally positive, but negative reviews often highlight specific accuracy problems or aggressive monetization tactics.

Overall Rating: Based on the provided score distribution, the average rating is approximately 4.1 stars.

Score Distribution:

  • 5-star: 66.2% (331 reviews)
  • 4-star: 6.8% (34 reviews)
  • 3-star: 3.6% (18 reviews)
  • 2-star: 2.8% (14 reviews)
  • 1-star: 20.6% (103 reviews)

Key Strengths:

  • Accurate bird identification via photo and sound.
  • Easy to use interface.
  • Educational value and detailed bird information.

Key Weaknesses:

  • Subscription cost and aggressive monetization.
  • Inaccurate identification of certain birds, especially chickens.
  • Occasional technical issues (crashes, inability to cancel subscriptions).
  • Zoom limitations within the app's camera.

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: The reviews span a significant period, with some reviews referencing events in 2023, 2024 and 2025, suggesting a collection period of at least two years.
  • Analysis Methods:
    • Sentiment Analysis: Categorizing reviews as positive, negative, or neutral based on the expressed opinions.
    • Keyword Extraction: Identifying frequently used words and phrases to understand common themes and issues.
    • Frequency Analysis: Counting the occurrences of specific issues or feature requests.

Key User Pain Points

  • Subscription Issues:
    • High cost of the premium subscription ($39.99/year) is a major deterrent.
    • Aggressive promotion of the premium version obstructs the user experience.
    • Users report being charged before the free trial ends or difficulty canceling subscriptions.
    • Unclear pricing information within the App Store description.
  • Inaccurate Identification:
    • Frequent misidentification of chickens, often identifying them as "Red Junglefowl."
    • Inaccurate identification of other birds, especially when photos are blurry or taken from a distance.
    • Sound identification sometimes provides incorrect or inconsistent results.
  • Technical Issues:
    • App crashes or "no connection" errors, especially after subscribing.
    • Limited zoom capability within the app's camera.
    • Blurred or "smudged" images after AI enhancement.
  • Usability Issues:
    • Difficulty getting close enough to birds for accurate photo identification.
    • Lack of ability to upload existing audio recordings.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Improved Zoom Functionality: Users want better zoom capabilities within the app's camera to identify birds from a distance.
  • Offline Mode: The ability to use the app without an internet connection, especially for sound identification.
  • Chicken Breed Identification: Accurate identification of different chicken breeds.
  • Ability to Upload Audio Recordings: Users want to upload pre-recorded bird sounds for identification.
  • More Detailed Information: Users request information about bird conservation status (e.g., endangered, least concern), egg color, and birding hotspots.
  • Folder Organization: Ability to create folders to organize bird sightings within the app.
  • Dark Mode: A darker color scheme for easier viewing in low-light conditions.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Accurate Identification (Generally): Many users praise the app's ability to accurately identify birds from both photos and sounds.
  • Ease of Use: The app is described as user-friendly and easy to understand, even for those less familiar with technology.
  • Educational Value: Users appreciate the detailed information provided about each bird, including appearance, sound, habitat, and feeding habits.
  • Bird Sound Identification: Users enjoy the sound identification feature, especially for identifying birds they cannot see.
  • AI Enhancement Tool: Some users find the AI enhancement tool helpful for clarifying blurry photos.
  • Collection Feature: The ability to save and manage bird sightings within the app is appreciated.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Address Subscription Issues:
    • Provide clearer pricing information in the App Store description.
    • Simplify the cancellation process for free trials.
    • Ensure users are not charged before the free trial ends.
    • Consider offering a more affordable or limited free version of the app.
  • Improve Identification Accuracy:
    • Train the AI model on a more diverse dataset, including different chicken breeds.
    • Improve the accuracy of sound identification, especially in noisy environments.
    • Provide multiple identification suggestions with confidence levels.
  • Fix Technical Issues:
    • Address app crashes and "no connection" errors.
    • Optimize the app for different devices and operating systems.

Medium Priority:

  • Enhance Camera Functionality:
    • Improve the zoom capabilities of the app's camera.
    • Add a focus feature to sharpen images.
  • Add Requested Features:
    • Implement the ability to upload audio recordings.
    • Allow users to create folders to organize bird sightings.
    • Add information about bird conservation status and egg color.
    • Implement a dark mode.

Low Priority:

  • Address Minor Bugs:
    • Fix grammatical and spelling errors within the app.
    • Improve the AI enhancement tool to avoid "smudged" or distorted images.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Niche Bird Identification Apps: Create specialized apps for identifying specific types of birds (e.g., chicken breeds, birds of prey).
  • Birding Community Platform: Develop a platform that connects bird enthusiasts, allowing them to share sightings, photos, and information.
  • Smart Bird Feeder Integration: Integrate the app with smart bird feeders that automatically identify birds and track their feeding habits.
  • Augmented Reality Birding: Develop an AR app that overlays bird information onto real-world views, providing an immersive birding experience.

Trends and Observations

  • Chicken Identification Focus: A significant number of negative reviews relate to the app's inability to accurately identify chicken breeds, suggesting a specific user segment with this need.
  • Free vs. Paid Conflict: Many users appreciate the app's functionality but are deterred by the high subscription cost, indicating a potential market for a more affordable or feature-limited free version.
  • Sound Identification Popularity: The sound identification feature is consistently praised, highlighting its value to users.
  • Geographic Accuracy Issues: Some users report the app identifying birds not native to their region, suggesting a need for improved location-based filtering.

Conclusion

The Picture Bird app has a strong foundation with its accurate bird identification and user-friendly interface. However, to improve user satisfaction and retention, the developers should prioritize addressing subscription issues, improving identification accuracy (especially for chickens), and resolving technical problems. By focusing on these key areas, the app can solidify its position as a leading bird identification tool.

Overall Recommendation: Address the high-priority issues related to subscription costs and identification accuracy to improve user satisfaction and encourage long-term engagement.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/picture-bird-bird-identifier/id1474586978?uo=2