Customer Reviews (500)

j gamewimeN • 2025-03-21T18:46:39-07:00

Loving this app. I started using it last spring and it’s so accurate. I get up in morning and record while I sip coffee. It amazes me how it finds the birds in my backyard before I could see them. I never knew how many varieties were at my home.

Editing CEO • 2025-03-21T05:52:28-07:00

I’ve woken up to birdsong for as long as I can remember—the best alarm! But I never knew which birds they were until this app. Now, I’m completely hooked! I’d say addicted, but it’s so healthy, it can only be called love!

Elle Emmenope • 2025-03-20T14:13:54-07:00

This app is what I always dreamed I’d be able to use the Internet for back in those starry eyed days of dial-up and AOL. It is beyond cool watching it identify bird calls in real time. It can pick out calls from a dozen birds chattering at once, and the visual audio trace is hypnotic to watch. It’s a great way to relax outside when you’ve got anxious phone hands- you’re not going to open Facebook or tiktok or whatever when you’ve got Merlin to get yourself in the moment and thinking about all the life around you. The modern Internet age might be ruining our lives but at least we get apps like Merlin! (If you love Merlin, I also recommend you check out Picture This for really excellent plant identification and some pretty decent bug ID.)

Summary of Key Insights

The Merlin Bird ID app enjoys overwhelmingly positive sentiment, evidenced by a high volume of 5-star reviews. Users praise its accuracy, ease of use, and the unique sound identification feature, which is particularly popular. However, there are recurring complaints regarding recent updates that have negatively impacted the app's functionality, particularly the sound ID sensitivity and the removal of features like multiple bird photos and playable bird calls. Some users also report issues with the app's integration with eBird and the inability to edit or add birds to their life lists easily. There are also reports of the app not working correctly after updates to iOS 18.

Key Strengths: Accurate bird identification (especially sound ID), ease of use, educational value, and the "Bird of the Day" feature. Key Weaknesses: Recent updates causing functionality issues (sound ID sensitivity, missing features), problems with eBird integration, limited editing capabilities for life lists, and iOS 18 incompatibility.

Overall Sentiment: Highly positive, but with increasing frustration due to recent updates.

Quantitative Metrics:

  • Overall Rating: High (based on score distribution)
  • 5-Star Reviews: 75.8%
  • 4-Star Reviews: 8.6%
  • 3-Star Reviews: 3.6%
  • 2-Star Reviews: 3.2%
  • 1-Star Reviews: 9%

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: Reviews appear to be recent, spanning from the past year, with a concentration in the last few months, as dates such as "February 2025" are referenced.
  • Analysis Methods:
    • Sentiment Analysis: Based on review scores and textual content to gauge user satisfaction.
    • Keyword Extraction: Identifying frequently used words and phrases to pinpoint common themes, issues, and feature requests.
    • Issue Categorization: Grouping similar complaints to determine the most prevalent pain points.

Key User Pain Points

  • Decreased Sound ID Sensitivity: Numerous users report that the sound identification feature has become less sensitive and accurate after recent updates, failing to identify birds even in clear conditions. This significantly impacts the core functionality and user experience.
  • Loss of Features: Users lament the removal of features such as multiple photos per bird (showing male/female/juvenile variations) and the ability to play bird calls/songs. These features were crucial for identification and learning.
  • eBird Integration Issues: Several users experience problems connecting information from Merlin to eBird, hindering their ability to seamlessly track and share their sightings.
  • Life List Limitations: Users find it difficult to add birds to their life list if the app doesn't suggest them during identification. They also request the ability to edit or remove entries and to see sightings organized by date/time/location.
  • iOS 18 Incompatibility: Some users have reported that the app has stopped working correctly after updating to iOS 18, specifically that the spectrogram no longer works and the app cannot identify any sounds.
  • Pop-up Intrusiveness: Some find the pop-up notifications and promotions to be intrusive and disruptive to the recording process.
  • Battery Drain: Some users report significant battery drain when the app is running in the background.

Frequently Requested Features

  • iPad Version: A dedicated iPad version of the app.
  • Ability to Add Birds to Life List Manually: A feature to directly add birds to the life list without going through the identification process.
  • Enhanced Life List Management: Improved sorting, filtering, and editing options for the life list, including viewing sightings by date/time/location and editing past entries.
  • Native Language Names: Inclusion of native language names for birds in foreign regions.
  • Widget for Quick Access: A home screen widget for quickly starting a sound recording.
  • More Bird Information: More detailed information on each bird, such as size, behavior, and habitat.
  • Amphibian and Insect ID: A similar app for identifying amphibian and insect calls.
  • Confirmation Box: A confirmation box when stopping a recording to avoid accidental loss of data.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Accurate Bird Identification: The sound and photo identification features are generally praised for their accuracy.
  • Ease of Use: The app is considered user-friendly and easy to navigate, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced birders.
  • Educational Value: Users appreciate the app's ability to teach them about birds and their calls, fostering a deeper appreciation for nature.
  • Sound ID Feature: The real-time sound identification is a standout feature, allowing users to identify birds they hear but cannot see.
  • Bird of the Day: The "Bird of the Day" feature is a popular way to discover new species.
  • Offline Functionality: The ability to download bird packs for offline use is highly valued, especially in areas with limited internet connectivity.
  • Integration with eBird: The integration with eBird is appreciated for its ability to contribute to citizen science and track sightings.
  • Free and Ad-Free: Users are grateful that the app is free and does not contain ads.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Address Sound ID Sensitivity Issues: Investigate and fix the decreased sensitivity of the sound identification feature. This is the most critical issue impacting the app's core functionality.
  • Restore Lost Features: Reintroduce popular features that were removed in recent updates, such as multiple photos per bird and playable bird calls/songs.
  • Fix iOS 18 Incompatibility: Resolve any issues causing the app to malfunction on iOS 18.

Medium Priority:

  • Improve Life List Management: Implement features to manually add birds to the life list, edit existing entries, and improve sorting/filtering options.
  • Enhance eBird Integration: Address issues with connecting information from Merlin to eBird.
  • Reduce Pop-up Intrusiveness: Minimize the frequency and intrusiveness of pop-up notifications and promotions.
  • Investigate Battery Drain: Identify and fix the cause of excessive battery drain when the app is running in the background.

Low Priority:

  • Develop iPad Version: Create a dedicated iPad version of the app.
  • Add Native Language Names: Include native language names for birds in foreign regions.
  • Add Widget for Quick Access: Develop a home screen widget for quickly starting a sound recording.
  • Include More Bird Information: Add more detailed information on each bird, such as size, behavior, and habitat.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • AI-Powered Nature Identification Suite: Expand the app's capabilities to identify other aspects of nature, such as plants, insects, and amphibians, creating a comprehensive nature identification tool.
  • Personalized Birding Tours: Develop a feature that suggests personalized birding tours based on the user's location, life list, and desired level of difficulty.
  • Gamified Birding Challenges: Introduce gamified challenges and rewards to encourage users to explore new areas and identify more birds.
  • Birding Community Platform: Create a social platform within the app where users can share their sightings, photos, and recordings, fostering a sense of community.
  • Accessibility Features: Develop more robust accessibility features, particularly for deaf and hard-of-hearing birders, such as visual representations of bird sounds and customizable alerts.

Trends and Observations

  • Impact of Updates: Recent updates have had a significant negative impact on user sentiment, highlighting the importance of thorough testing and user feedback before releasing new versions.
  • Feature Importance: The sound identification feature is a key differentiator for the Merlin Bird ID app, and any issues with its functionality can lead to significant user dissatisfaction.
  • Community Engagement: Users are passionate about birding and actively seek ways to connect with other birders and contribute to citizen science.
  • Desire for Comprehensive Information: Users want access to as much information as possible about each bird, including photos, sounds, and detailed descriptions.

Conclusion

The Merlin Bird ID app is a highly valuable and well-regarded tool for bird enthusiasts of all levels. However, recent updates have introduced significant issues that are negatively impacting the user experience. Addressing these issues and prioritizing user feedback is crucial for maintaining the app's reputation and ensuring its continued success. By focusing on improving the sound identification feature, restoring lost features, and enhancing life list management, the Merlin Bird ID app can continue to be a leading resource for birders around the world.

Overall Recommendation: Prioritize addressing the issues caused by recent updates to restore user confidence and maintain the app's high rating.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/merlin-bird-id-by-cornell-lab/id773457673?uo=2