You never leave home without your phone, so install bird Identification apps and you'll have guides, checklists, and more at your fingertips.
6 Bird Identification Apps to Give Your Skills a Boost
Updated on Apr. 16, 2025
Turn your smartphone into your best and most-used birding resource with these handy apps. Our favorite bird identification apps are easy to use, and they’ll help you get the most out of every bird-watching adventure.
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Audubon Bird Guide: North America
Unlike the average printed field guide, this app includes songs and calls — and more than 800 species of North American birds. Regular updates means you won’t need to replace this guide when information changes to stay up-to-date. Interactive features allow you to report your own sightings and see recent spottings logged by others in your area. You can even keep a digital life list. If you’re not sure which bird you saw, the “Bird ID” feature allows you to describe it, and the app will then identify the bird based on your description.
Where to Get It: Free for iPhone and Android, audubon.org
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eBird Identification App
This is one of the most popular birding apps out there, and for good reason. eBird allows you to keep track of the species you see in the field, whether or not you’re connected to the internet, and the app will let you know if you’ve seen a rare species for a certain location. Starting and submitting a checklist is as easy as a few taps on the screen. You can be as detailed in your lists as you prefer, with options for month, year, and life lists. Plus, find great places to go birding with eBird Explore.
Where to Get It: Free for iPhone and Android, ebird.org
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Sibley Birds 2nd Edition
If you don’t want to lug your field guide around — and you’re bonded specifically to Sibley — here’s some good news: there’s a Sibley app. Featuring David Sibley’s magnificent artwork, the ability to compare two species side-by-side, and more than 2,700 calls, it’s a comprehensive guide you can keep in your back pocket.
Where to Get It: $19.99 for iPhone and Android, sibleyguides.com
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Merlin Bird ID App
Merlin is another massively popular bird identification app, and it’s not difficult to see why. You can easily identify any bird by answering five simple questions about the bird’s size, color, and behavior. If you hear a unique bird song or call and aren’t sure who it’s coming from, the Sound ID feature listens to and identifies nearby birds in real-time. Sound ID also works offline, so if you’re in the middle of the woods searching for your nemesis bird, you’ll know right away if you hear it. The app’s Photo ID feature identifies birds based on a photo, too — and like Sound ID, it also works offline. Of course, there’s also an option to add birds to your life list.
Where to Get It: Free for iPhone and Android, merlin.allaboutbirds.org
Raptor ID App
Hawks, falcons, eagles and other raptors can be tricky to identify. Meet Raptor ID, from HawkWatch International and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. You’ll get tons of expert advice, plus range maps and annotated photos. The videos in this bird identification app are amazing; they include voice-overs to help explain what you’re seeing, allowing you to compare flight patterns and behaviors to find the best match.
Where to Get It: Free for iPhone and Android, hawkwatch.org
Warbler Guide App
Even for experienced birders, identifying warblers can be a challenge — they’re small, they’re fast, and they’re usually in the tops of trees. The Warbler Guide App from Princeton University Press is here to help make fall and spring warbler migration less stressful for birdwatchers looking to add to their life lists. Use its two-step identification process to determine which warbler you’ve seen, or take a look at 3D models of warblers in differing plumages to improve your ID skills. The bird identification app covers 48 species and 75 plumages, so you’re sure to find your mystery warbler.
Where to Get It: $12.99 for iPhone, Princeton University Press
