Bird Identification: Audubon's Bird ID - worth flocking toward.

 Audubon's Bird ID - worth flocking toward.

Audubon’s Bird ID is simply great fun. You can learn a lot about birds around the world just by exploring the app’s features. It is essentially an interactive Audubon guide. However, it has functions that go well beyond what a traditional field guide could offer - such as bird songs. When you open the app, it gives you two choices - either identify a bird or search the guide. With the identifying, the user answers a number of questions about their observation to narrow down the species. These questions are straightforward and provide an interesting insight to bird behavior such as how the species flies (soaring, hovering, undulating, etc.). The user can answer as few or as many questions as they like to narrow the choices. This option is a good choice for those in the field able to make observations with or without binoculars. 

Great Blue Herons (Ardeidae Ardea herodias) are a common site at Machicomoco State Park. 
(Image Source: Audubon)


The option to search the guide is the flipside of the identification feature. With the search, you select the bird species you would like to learn more about and proceed from there. There is a search function, but otherwise the species are listed alphabetically. It would perhaps be helpful if species were divided by region or migratory vs. nonmigratory. Once a bird is selected, there is a wealth of information including range, habitat, conservation status, and audible songs/calls/twitters. In any event, either option allows the user to log a sighting and keep track of their observations. I highly recommend this app for anyone wanting to learn more about birds whether for biodiversity studies or just for fun.

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