Date: 4/20/26 5:36 pm From: Van Remsen via groups.io <vnremsen...> Subject: Re: [labird] MERLIN audio -- warning!
Question one = Yes.
Question two = Yes -- feel free to quote or forward or whatever to another
list or FB group (LOS already covered)
Van Remsen
On Mon, Apr 20, 2026 at 4:58 PM John Romano <birderjuan...> wrote:
> My only input is that the bird “watchers” who use Merlin and who need the
> information in this thread the most, are most likely not on this listsrv,
> but rather on other media like the Facebook page Louisiana Birds. I often
> see photos of birds with remarks like “Merlin says . . . “ on that page if
> I go there. So question one:
> Do people also use Merlin to identify photos?
> Question Two: can the information on this thread be summarized and put
> on these other birding media to reach more people using Merlin vocal ID to
> make lists for EBird??
>
> Sent from my iPhone
> > On Apr 19, 2026, at 9:20 AM, Bill Fontenot via groups.io
> <williamrodneyfontenot...> wrote:
> >
> > Guess my thoughts on this matter are somewhat irrelevant re: this issue
> as I’m no longer able to bird “by eye”. Regardless, my hearing is still
> quite good.
> >
> > In my opinion, nothing beats the old-school method of learning birds by
> ear: when you hear a bird that you can’t identify by ear — or even a bird
> that you think you already know by ear but the bird’s vocalizations sound a
> little “off” — simply track the bird down and get a visual ID. In that
> process, the repeated vocalizations as you search, combined with the final
> visual ID serve to reinforce the audio learning experience. Begin with
> local birds to build your brain’s audio baseline and build your database
> from there.
> >
> > Using this method you’ll learn far more than Merlin. You’ll learn entire
> ranges of sounds made by each species (e.g. Carolina Wren). You’ll learn
> the mimics’ trickery (e.g. N Mocker, E Starling, Blue Jay). And most
> importantly you’ll learn to discern the voices of birds that you don’t
> know, which often turn out to be rarities.
> >
> > Re: Merlin, soon enough it will become able to properly ID any bird it
> can hear. I’m guessing there are also visual ID apps in the works if not
> already available. A “birder” will simply need the skill to use a
> smartphone. Gone will be critical thinking and the excitement of the chase.
> >
> > Happy “Birding”!
> >
> > Bill Fontenot
> > Lafayette, LA
> >
> >> On Apr 19, 2026, at 8:33 AM, Jay V Huner via groups.io <jay.huner1=
> <louisiana.edu...> wrote:
> >>
> >> If you cannot hear a bird’s vocalizations, Merlin is a miraculous aid.
> Clearly, if habitat is wrong and timing is wrong and you cannot find the
> bird, Merlin is mistaken or is recording a mimic.
> >> ________________________________
> >> From: <labird...> <labird...> on behalf of Charles
> Williams via groups.io <chazbizz91...>
> >> Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2026 10:12 PM
> >> To: Paul Conover <zoiseaux...>
> >> Cc: Harriett Pooler <harriett.pooler...>; <vnremsen...> <
> <vnremsen...>; Labird <labird...>
> >> Subject: Re: [labird] MERLIN audio -- warning!
> >>
> >> CAUTION: This email originated from outside of UL Lafayette. Do not
> click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know
> the content is safe.
> >>
> >>
> >> Well I'll take a slightly contrarian view and say I've enjoyed sorting
> out
> >> the rights, wrongs and maybes of what Merlin reports. On a recent
> visit to
> >> the Central sports park Merlin reported three species that would have
> been
> >> firsts for the site: limpkin, mallard and eastern meadowlark. Limpkin
> and
> >> meadowlark were both realistic albeit longshot possibilities given the
> >> habitat. But neither could be found after a close check of that
> habitat.
> >> So I concluded that known multilingual species, numerous in the area
> >> (starlings, blue jays, mockingbirds etc) must have been the source of
> the
> >> misidentified calls.
> >>
> >> Charles W
> >>
> >>> On Fri, Apr 17, 2026, 10:13 PM Paul Conover via groups.io <zoiseaux=
> >>> <lusfiber.net...> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Harriet, Labird,
> >>>
> >>> I guess the first thing I'd check is a physical cause such as a
> >>> blocked microphone opening which might get lint or dust in it. In terms
> >>> of the inner workings of the app, I've had similar issues where no
> >>> species show up even when I hear singing close by, but it seems like
> >>> after a short delay the list sometimes populates and seems fine after
> >>> that. I just assume that's a glitch either in the program or the
> >>> connection, or possibly just that my phone has too many apps open. I
> >>> sometimes close all apps and reopen just Merlin. It tends to work, but
> >>> it may just be by chance. Another possibility is that the location
> isn't
> >>> set to the right geographical area, but it would take a bit of doing to
> >>> accidentally alter that setting. Updating the sound packets for each
> >>> region probably improves performance as well, but Merlin often reminds
> >>> me to update right when I'm in the middle of using the app in the field
> >>>
> >>> However, that does bring up an interesting and (to me) annoying
> >>> limitation with Merlin. If a species isn't expected where I'm birding,
> >>> Merlin typically just ignores it. I understand that Merlin needs to
> >>> narrow down the possibilities because many birds around the world make
> >>> similar sounds, but ideally if a really rare bird is present, it would
> >>> sure be nice if Merlin would tell me. When I think a rarity is present,
> >>> I've had to turn off the phone's GPS and manually switch the location
> in
> >>> the app to a location on Earth where that species is normally found or
> >>> Merlin won't admit that the bird is present. Off course, that reset
> >>> opens a Pandora's box where every vocal species present might get
> >>> misidentified as an exotic cousin.
> >>>
> >>> Merlin is a work in progress, but eventually if enough good
> >>> input is confirmed, it seems like the output will become reliable.
> >>> Birders like you and Van that state the shortcomings and glitches in
> the
> >>> program are probably doing the app a big favor by calling attention to
> >>> its flaws, and certainly doing the birding community a favor by making
> >>> everyone think twice about its results.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Paul Conover
> >>>
> >>> Lafayette
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>> On 4/17/26 7:49 PM, Harriett Pooler wrote:
> >>>>> Van, Paul, and LaBird:
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I’ve had some false positives with Merlin too, and hearing in my
> right
> >>> ear isn’t what it used to be; however, my main problem is that Merlin
> >>> checks out at times and doesn’t pick up any birds or just some at other
> >>> times. I’ve seen this often on bird walks with multiple people whose
> Merlin
> >>> picks up birds while mine is on vacation. I’ve deleted the app and then
> >>> reinstalled which seems to help for a while. It is almost like it knows
> >>> there are other birders on Merlin in the same area and doesn’t put the
> >>> effort on all iPhones. Any suggestions?
> >>>>
> >>>> Harriett Pooler
> >>>> Baton Rouge
> >>>>
> >>>> Sent from my iPhone
> >>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
