An innovative app that listens to and identifies birdsong is transforming how Britons connect with nature, leading to a remarkable surge in popularity across the country. The Merlin Bird ID app, developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in New York, has been downloaded over 33 million times globally, with the UK now home to its second-largest user base.
A Digital Companion for Nature Lovers
For many, the journey begins with simple curiosity. Writer and activist Natasha Walter recounted her initial attempts to identify birds in her London garden by manually matching songs to online recordings. After a friend recommended Merlin, she made a delightful discovery. "I was obsessed," she says. "The birds I assumed were female blackbirds – 'this is how bad a birder I was' – were actually song thrushes and mistle thrushes." Her experience highlights the app's role as a patient teacher for those without a mentor.
The app's sound identification feature, launched in 2021, uses machine learning to analyse the distinct patterns of birdsong on spectrograms. It is trained to recognise the calls of more than 1,300 species worldwide, with updates adding new birds twice a year. This technological aid has proven to be a powerful learning tool. Angela Townsend from Bedfordshire found it helped her distinguish between similar-sounding warblers, while author Mary Novakovich uses it to connect with nature during travels in Croatia.
Record Growth and Widespread Enthusiasm
The app's adoption in the UK has skyrocketed. In 2024, more than 1.5 million people in Britain are using Merlin, representing an 88% increase from 2023. Every month, the platform sees a steady 30% rise in new users. This boom is driven by a desire to engage with the natural world, often found in unexpected places like urban parks or industrial estates.
Users consistently report that the app deepens their appreciation. "It reminds you that there are birds knitted into your daily life," explains Walter. "It gives you a sense that these birds are singing away all the time, even in London." This connection is backed by research showing that encounters with birds and birdsong have a tangible, positive impact on mental health and wellbeing.
Not Flawless, But a Force for Good
While celebrated, users and experts note Merlin is not infallible. Young birder Kasper Wall from Norfolk saw it initially misidentify North American species in his garden. Naturalist Nick Acheson, who doesn't use the app, welcomes its engagement but cautions it could replace the process of learning. "There's no substitute for a real person explaining to you how a birdsong feels," he says.
Guides like John Williamson from the Norfolk Wildlife Trust have seen it make habitat-based errors, such as suggesting a spotted flycatcher in the middle of a reedbed. However, he champions it as a "good tool" that empowers people. He knows of one individual with acute anxiety for whom Merlin provided a calming focus, enabling trips back into nature.
Despite occasional glitches, the consensus is clear. For millions globally, and over 1.5 million in the UK, Merlin is successfully opening ears and minds to the avian chorus all around them, proving that technology, when applied with purpose, can foster a profound and joyful connection to the natural world.
