(01/15/2020)

Republished courtesy of South Carolina DNR

Osprey

There is a growing list of cellphone apps that you can use to identify bird species by their melodic songs, chirps and calls. Now it is a little easier for novice and expert birders to name that tune! The bird ID links below (not a complete list) offer a “mobile” avenue to gain a better understanding of the world’s feathered species and the ecosystems that we share.

“Bird songs are part of nature’s music,” said S.C. Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Biologist Amy Tegeler. “In the spring and summer many bird species use songs to defend nesting territories and to find a mate. Each bird species has unique songs and calls, so by listening we can identify the birds around us.”

Visit dnr.sc.gov/birds/ to view SCDNR’s guide to wild birds found in South Carolina. (Feature photos courtesy South Carolina Wildlife magazine photo contest.)

Bird ID Apps

Cardinal

• • Merlin Bird ID: merlin.allaboutbirds.org/
  • Audubon Bird Guide North America: audubon.org/app
  • Peterson’s Birds of North America: petersonguides.com/apps/apps.php
  • Song Sleuth: songsleuth.com/#/
  • eBird: ebird.org/home
  • BirdsEye Bird Finding Guide: birdseyebirding.com/apps/birdseye/