What's New

Thanks for all the support over the years! We gave the app a new look added a few things but kept all the good features.

Here is what's new and what we've done for you:

- We added more songs and calls
- improved automatic recognition!
- new design, new icon
- more bird images
- see where other users have recorded birds in your region

App Description

The original and the best, accept no cheap imitations !
Record a bird singing and use Automatic Recognition to help identify it. Unlike all other apps, no internet or mobile connection is needed.

• The Times Newspaper said the app "Does what it says on the

tin" and were amazed that "this astonishing piece of software
costs about the same as a cup of coffee".

• "In direct comparison Bird Song Id showed better results than Chirpomatic". - naturschutz.ch - Swiss Birding Magazine

Copied by a few, bettered by none, Bird Song Id is three years
ahead of anyone else in this field !

• The Telegraph Newspaper said "Bird Song Id is a good walk improved, and may even put a spring in your step".

• over 1000 good ratings

Automatic Recognition takes place on the device, no connection to the internet or mobile network is needed.

Automatic Recognition needs good quality recordings to work. See the HELP below, or follow the Developer Website link to find out how to improve your recordings.

Automatic Recognition will help identify a good cross section of bird song in the British Isles, but you will need a good quality recording. Lots of blue and green peaks reaching to the top of the analysis graph is a good indication of a quality recording. Help and examples are included in the app to guide you.

How successful is it ? Our aim is to get the correct bird in the top three of those listed. In our testing of over 1,000 samples we found the success rate to be 85%.

Follow the Developer Website link to see a demo of Automatic Recognition on YouTube

--------------- HELP ----------------

Automatic Recognition needs a good quality recording of the bird.
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Only record when a single bird is singing, or when a single bird is dominant
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The analysis graph should have plenty of blue and green colors with few or no black peaks.
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The peaks on the graph should reach all the way to the top. Low peaks indicate poor quality and recognition is unlikely.
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The Audio Quality, shown at the top of the results screen, should be at least Good, and preferably Very Good or Excellent
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The highest score should be above 70% to be useful. Below this and the system is telling you it is not sure what the song is.
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A difference between two birds of less than 10% is not that significant, so listen to the samples from both to help you further
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See the samples for how the analysis graph should look (to see the samples press the sample button at the top right of the help page)
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Make sure it is very quiet apart from the bird song which should be nice and loud
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Be as close to the bird as you can be without disturbing it
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Be patient, dont expect miracles, the system works but needs good clear recordings
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The microphone is at the bottom of an iPhone, point the bottom of the phone towards the bird
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Remove the case from your iPhone if you use one as this can dampen the microphone
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Record a single bird at a time
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Capture at least two singing episodes if you can.
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Record for the full 30 seconds
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Avoid windy conditions. Air moving over the microphone will mask the bird sounds
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Make sure there is plenty of life in the battery. Your device will reduce power going to the microphone as the battery runs down
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Playing songs to the app from recorded material on the internet, other apps or CDs is unlikely to work as this material is digitally processed and edited (inter phase gaps are often shortened). They sound very different to recording birds for real on an iPhone or iPad in the natural environment. Its a bit like putting rocket fuel in a lawn mower.
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iPhone Screenshots

(click to enlarge)

Bird Song Id UK screenshot 1 Bird Song Id UK screenshot 2 Bird Song Id UK screenshot 3 Bird Song Id UK screenshot 4 Bird Song Id UK screenshot 5

iPad Screenshots

(click to enlarge)

Bird Song Id UK screenshot 6 Bird Song Id UK screenshot 7 Bird Song Id UK screenshot 8 Bird Song Id UK screenshot 9 Bird Song Id UK screenshot 10

App Changes

  • February 16, 2013 Initial release
  • February 28, 2013 Price increase: $4.99 -> $5.99
  • March 02, 2013 Price decrease: $5.99 -> $4.99
  • May 06, 2013 New version 4.30
  • January 03, 2014 New version 5.0
  • January 04, 2014 New version 5.1
  • January 16, 2014 New version 5.2
  • March 16, 2014 New version 5.3
  • June 27, 2014 New version 5.08
  • October 10, 2014 New version 8.01
  • January 27, 2015 Price decrease: $4.99 -> $3.99
  • October 07, 2015 New version 8.05
  • July 14, 2020 New version iOS-App 8.9
  • September 16, 2023 Price decrease: $3.99 -> $2.99