Merlin incorporates advanced computer vision and deep learning technology trained using eBird millions of photos taken by observers. By analyzing the visual features of AI and cross-checking them against location and date data, recommendations are highly accurate so that even beginners can find birds easily.

Here’s an innovation allows users to record bird calls, which then the app checks to see if the bird singing nearby is a known species. For identifying those elusive birds hiding high up in the tree canopy this feature is especially useful, turning a smartphone into a powerful instrument of sound recording for nature lovers.

A variety of packages cover the world: it has them for North America, Europe, South America- even Hawaii. Each package contains thousands of high-quality photos and song sonagrams, offering the functionality of a field guide on your mobile phone but offline.

For users who don't have a photo or recording, Merlin has a guided questionnaire. The program will ask the user five simple questions related to: The bird's size; The colors (even if only partially seen), and Behavior type. Then it creates lists of birds based upon its integrated algorithms.

Merlin comes with deep integration into eBird, the worldwide bird sightings database. This linkage does not only greatly enhance identification accuracy through use of regional sighting data but also releases user from lengthy typing and day indicating, simply log on with your phone anywhere in North America, say "I saw a peregrine and two song sparrows at such-and-such park yesterday.”