VOA科学技术2023--App Identifies Birds by Sound

App Identifies Birds by Sound

Tracee Herbaugh lives in the Boston area of Massachusetts.

Herbaugh thought she was alone in her backyard recently when she used the Merlin Bird ID app. She learned from listening that she was surrounded by more than 12 kinds of birds.

There were the familiar blue jays, cardinals¹ and goldfinch. But the app also identified birds like chimney swift, northern flicker², fish crow, killdeer and gray catbird.

Two birds identified by the app, veery and great horned owl³, even had a red dot next to their names. The red dot meant it was a rare sighting.

Herbaugh wrote: "Who knew all these birds could be in one yard?"

Cornell Lab of Ornithology⁴ is the maker⁵ of Merlin Bird ID. The app was released in 2014. At first, the app only identified birds by sight called Photo ID. The user answered a series of questions to help identify the bird, such as date, area, color, and size. The app became popular during the pandemic when people increasingly wanted to be outdoors.

In 2021, Cornell Lab added Sound ID to identify birds by their sound. In the United States alone, Merlin's Sound ID can identify over 700 kinds of birds. More than 7 million people now use the Merlin Bird ID worldwide.

Alli Smith works on the Merlin project at Cornel Lab. Smith said birdwatching by sound "opens up a whole new world." Even if you cannot see the birds, Smith added, "you can hear their beautiful songs and know they're sharing your neighborhood."

Other bird-identifying apps include the Audubon Bird Guide, ChirpOMatic, Picture Bird and Smart Bird.

Connecting with people

More than birds, Herbaugh said the app also helped her reconnect with people across the country.

When Herbaugh shared her bird list on social media, two childhood friends who also used the app messaged her about it.

Her relative in Montana shared a list that included hawks⁶, raptors and hummingbirds⁷. And even her young children now quickly go for the app any time they hear an unfamiliar⁸ bird call.

Herbaugh has identified 45 birds on her list so far. She said her children are now the ones driving her to get more on the bird list.

Smith said when people write to Merlin, they often talk about connection. She said, "There are so many little wonders around and it's fun to share that with people."

Words in This Story

backyard–n. the area outside around a house

dot–n. a small round mark

1 cardinals   

红衣主教( cardinal的名词复数 )； 红衣凤头鸟（见于北美，雄鸟为鲜红色）； 基数

参考例句：

• cardinals in scarlet robes 身披红袍的枢机主教
• A conclave of cardinals was held to elect the new Pope. 红衣主教团举行了秘密会议来选举新教皇。

2 flicker   

vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现

参考例句：

• There was a flicker of lights coming from the abandoned house.这所废弃的房屋中有灯光闪烁。
• At first,the flame may be a small flicker,barely shining.开始时，光辉可能是微弱地忽隐忽现，几乎并不灿烂。

3 owl   

n.猫头鹰，枭

参考例句：

• Her new glasses make her look like an owl.她的新眼镜让她看上去像只猫头鹰。
• I'm a night owl and seldom go to bed until after midnight.我睡得很晚，经常半夜后才睡觉。

4 ornithology   

n.鸟类学

参考例句：

• He found his vocation in ornithology.他发现自己适于专攻鸟类学。
• His main interests are botany and ornithology.他主要对植物学和鸟类学感兴趣。

5 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

6 hawks   

鹰( hawk的名词复数 )； 鹰派人物，主战派人物

参考例句：

• Two hawks were hover ing overhead. 两只鹰在头顶盘旋。
• Both hawks and doves have expanded their conditions for ending the war. 鹰派和鸽派都充分阐明了各自的停战条件。

7 hummingbirds   

n.蜂鸟( hummingbird的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious. 蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。
• Why do hummingbirds and gorillas both have backbones? 为什么蜂鸟和大猩猩都有脊骨？

8 unfamiliar   

adj.陌生的，不熟悉的

参考例句：

• I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
• The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。